


The Life I Live

by I_Dont_Like_I_Obsess



Series: Summer's Series [1]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Action/Adventure, F/M, Fluff, Humor, Originally Posted on FanFiction.Net, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-23
Updated: 2016-11-07
Packaged: 2018-05-15 18:22:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 60
Words: 124,028
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5795029
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/I_Dont_Like_I_Obsess/pseuds/I_Dont_Like_I_Obsess
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Summer's idea of revenge never included being forced to join a pirate crew in a yellow submarine. Nor did it involve making friends. But when the Surgeon of Death offers you a chance to help you kill a certain madman, you don't refuse. Now, if she could just keep her past a secret from the nosy Captain, she could stop them all from getting killed. Hopefully...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Devil You Know

**Author's Note:**

> This story was originally posted on Fanfiction.net. You can find the rest of my fanfic works there as well!  
> Because of AO3's awful chapter posting system, and awful formatting bugs, Some parts that were supposed to be italics I wasn't able to get to. So, anything written with 'single quotations marks as such' are character thoughts. Anything written with "double are dialogue", obviously.

_*Three Years Previous*_

Summer awoke to the smell of smoke. Her eyes opened to the red glow of fire outside the window. It illuminated the dingy hotel room she was in, giving an unearthly red color to the walls. The air was too hot, as if the place had turned into a sauna. Jumping out of the bed, she grabbed her daggers on the side table, sheathing two on her hip and one on her thigh. Over her hard breathing, the shouts of men and the clash of swords pierced her ears.

_'No.'_

Forcing herself to focus, she looked around the room for her rucksack but failed to spot it. The threat of the fire was growing and she was losing time. With wide eyes, she frantically searched the room. She began to panic but relief washed through her after finally finding what she was looking for underneath the bed. Throwing it over her shoulder, she checked again for anything she was missing.

_'This can't be real.'_

Gunshots rang outside, causing her to hesitate for just a moment. Because of this, she heard a large crack split the air and Summer had only a second to react. She dove under the bed just a moment before the large tree outside crashed into the hotel room. Debris flew around her, but she was protected by the thick bedding. The wood walls turned aflame and Summer realized she had to get out of there immediately.

The tree now took over two thirds of the room, leaving only a small path towards the door. If she didn't leave soon, the whole room would be aflame. A coughing fit came over her, racking through her small body. Stumbling through the only relatively safe place and avoiding the flaming wreck of the tree, her outstretched hand caught the door handle and she yanked it open. The hallway was clear compared to the room behind her, so she took off running down the stairs two at a time. Even in a hurry, her footsteps were silent and soft. Reaching the hotel lobby, she increased her pace as she went through the front door.

The stench of burning flesh and shed blood permeated the air. It was gut-wrenchingly strong, and Summer covered her nose in a vain effort to ward off the smell. Around her, the street was chaos. Screaming people ran in the opposite direction of the harbor, clutching crying children and a precious few belongings. Looks of pure terror marked their faces. Directing her attention to the town itself, she found almost all of the building to be on fire, burning with loud pops and cracks as they sent sparks into the air.

_'Make it go away.'_

Large men, most likely pirates or mercenaries, fought with a few members of the town guard farther down the road and it was obvious who was winning. The brutes were properly armed and outnumbered the small protecting force that had woken up unprepared to the same death and destruction that Summer did.

Summer rushed to the nearest fight, unsheathing her small blades. Mr. Porter, the captain of the guard, struggled to fend off his opponent's attacks. Their swords clashed, the mercenary's sword raised above his head, intending to finish the captain off. Summer's daggers dug itself deep into his neck, leaving him unable to cry out. He fell heavily, blood rushing out of the wound. Mr. Porter sagged onto the ground in exhaustion, panting quickly. He nodded his head in thanks, to which Summer nodded back. She kneeled next to him and checked him over for wounds. A few cuts crossed his arms and he had a bullet wound on his left shoulder.

"They…came out…of nowhere." He said. Standing up with visible effort, he lurched over to the fallen brute. "Most of them…are down by…the docks. This one ran…down the…main road." Mr. Porter's foot lashed out at the dead man, and Summer watched unfazed by the sight. She crouched down beside him to take a closer look.

Moving the greasy hair out of the man's face, she made a face of disgust. It wasn't a pretty sight. His nose was bent from previously being broken. Several teeth were missing, and those that remained were yellowed and crooked. He seemed nondescript. She started to stand but halted, staring at the black mark on the man's neck. Beneath his mass of hair, a tattoo depicting a coiled snake was partially hidden.

_'Why?'_

She stood and slowly backed away, not taking her eyes off of the man's neck. Mr. Porter watched her cautiously.

"What is it?" She didn't answer. Her eyes were wide in fear and her hands shook.

_'How did he find me?'_

She sprinted towards the harbor of the little village, leaving a confused and nervous Mr. Porter shouting behind her. "Isabelle! Where are you going? Come back, it's too dangerous!" She ignored his cries, feeling a pang of guilt as he used the fake name she had given him.

Burned and destroyed buildings were her only surroundings as she ran down the familiar little street. Despite the short year and a half she had stayed there, it felt comfortable. She remembered back to when the small community all pitched together to repaint and fix the dilapidated houses. Everyone wore smiles and laughed openly on that day, and even Summer couldn't resist a laugh or two. Snapping out of her thoughts, she looked around, only to find destruction and chaos. She blinked back tears that threatened to fall.

"No." She angrily told herself aloud. She kept running.

_'I will not break my promise.'_

The docks were damaged beyond repair, even more so than the buildings behind her. The smoke was thicker and darker as she neared the water, making her cough violently. Fishing boats were burning, a few remaining men and women ran screaming, chased by what she now knew were pirates. A few saw her running and began to pursue her, swinging their weapons. A raging anger flared within her as she spotted the same tattoo on all of them. She knew they were all the same pirates when she inspected the dead man before, but now the reality finally began to sink in.

Pulling out her second dagger, she stood her ground in front of the remains of the small pub. Two men closed the distance between them, and she pounced. Daggers swinging, her lithe movements worked effectively against the slow pirates.

"Ah, if it ain't our little sneak thief. We was wonderin' where you disappeared to." One of them said. The other grinned along with him.

"The captain was getting' worried, ya see. He thought you was kidnapped, and he searched all over for his favorite little puppet. He'll be happy to know that we found ya, safe and sound." He laughed mockingly. She didn't reply, but gave them both murderous looks. They swung their weapons at the same time. Blocking the swords, she used her momentum to thrust her elbow into the left one's face. He cried out, grabbing his bleeding nose. The sword went flying in another direction.

The other swung violently in rage down at her, but she managed to deflect the blow to the side, making him stumble from the lack of resistance. He fell to the ground, making him an easy target. She came from behind, grabbed his head and sliced quickly through his throat. The pirate fell limp to the dirt as blood sprayed out of his neck. Much of it stained Summer's clothing.

The other man, who had retrieved his sword, was on his feet. Any previous amusement was gone as he saw his crewmate lying dead.

"Viper was furious when he heard you double-crossed him. I always knew you wasn't one of us! Always one for your own ambitions, you was. Traitorous bitch." He spat. Her hatred boiled over and she shouted back at him.

"I double-crossed him? He ruined my life! Killed everyone I ever cared about! I never wanted any of this! He betrayed me!" She was on the verge of tears but her resolve prevented them from falling. She tightened the grip on her daggers and ran towards him. Fumbling with his sword, he wasn't fast enough to block. Her blades sliced two deep gashes into his stomach, and he screamed in pain, falling onto his back.

He wasn't dead yet, and she still felt the rage and adrenaline coursing through her. Surrendering herself to her emotions, she jumped on top of the pirate and stabbed downwards, again and again. Each blow relieved her of the pain she felt in her heart. Each one laden with the hurt and depression, the misery and suffering, the grief she had felt for so long. Her anger slowly, very slowly, subsided. He was long dead by the time she realized the fact. His torso was a bloodied lump. It almost looked filled with bullets with the number of stab wounds it had sustained. Her blades and almost all of her body was blood soaked, but she was too distraught to care. She stared down at his face, memorizing the surprised look.

_'I did this.'_

She looked up and scanned the decimated island. Even if it were to be saved now, it would take years to repair and make it livable again. Some buildings were still burning. Everything else was a blackened pile of ashes.

_'I've done all of this.'_

Summer watched in horror as the schoolhouse to her right collapsed in on itself. Before the broken building completely destroyed itself, she spotted several lifeless forms in its depths. She quickly turned her head away. Bodies littered the streets, most of them too badly mutilated to recognize. The stench of death filled her so completely she wasn't sure if she was actually breathing.

She needed to leave, to run away, do something, anything. A hand appeared on her shoulder, pressing down hard to keep her in place. She didn't dare look to see who it was, fearing that her suspicion was correct. A raspy voice stilled her movements and proved her assumption.

"That's right, look around. See the damage you've done? The destruction you have created?" Summer couldn't see his face, but by his tone she knew he was fondly surveying her 'handiwork.' "It's what you were made to do. You exist only for the purpose of creating chaos. How many times have I had to tell you that?"

_'No, no, no, no…'_

"No…" She whispered as she shook her head weakly, wanting to deny the cruel truth. The remaining crew gathered the dead townspeople and piled them up in front of her and Viper. She didn't know how long it took to complete the task. Her sense of time was gone, and she knew only that it took an eternity. Mr. Porter's body was among the dead, along with his wife and three children. They all had their eyes open, and seemed to stare directly at her. She wanted to look away but couldn't. Their eyes held sorrow and pain, but also anger and blame. They stared at her, only her. Not the pirates that killed them. Her.

_'I'm sorry.'_

"Come now, Love. Look in front of you. You can't keep running away from who you are. Bad things will happen." He said, implying the pile of bodies in front of them. "Now, I know you cared for them, but I'm only trying to protect you. They would never understand what you are, what you must become." He said in a too-sweet voice. She was only half listening at this point. Everything was going fuzzy.

"Why don't we come back onboard the ship and let things cool down awhile?" Viper squeezed her shoulder. Whether out of reassurance or anger she couldn't tell. She didn't really feel it anyway.

_'I did this. My fault, my fault…'_

The men began pouring gasoline onto the pile of bodies. Even though Summer knew what was coming, it still surprised her when the bodies began to burn. She kept assuming this was a dream and that she would wake up anytime now. Even as the heat hit her face and the smell intensified, she kept thinking that this couldn't be real. This was impossible. A part of her knew, however. She knew there was no denying it.

_'Give up, give up…'_

In that moment, her mind broke.

Tears began to stream down her face despite the promise to herself never to cry. Her small body shook in rage and terror and shock. She didn't answer him, simply allowed her limp body to be hoisted up into Viper's arms and carried towards the ship. She couldn't hear anything at this point.

"Get everyone on board. Tonight, we celebrate the return of an old friend!" Viper's words were met with sinister cheers.

* * *

 

_*Present Day*_

She stared up at the cold concrete walls of her cell, debating whether she should attempt an escape. The chains attached to her wrists and ankles were linked to a large metal ring on the wall, making her position sitting on the stone floor an awkward one. Somewhere in the prison, she heard a man crying and sobbing, proclaiming his innocence to any that would listen.

' _Such weakness. How pathetic.'_ She thought to herself, as she stretched her aching muscles. Her long blond hair was beginning to annoy her as it made her neck itch. However, with her chained limbs she could not do anything about it.

A prison guard's footsteps could be heard approaching, and she lazily glanced up at the man they belonged to. He wore a standard guard marine uniform, the only thing standing out was the bright blue fedora that sat upon his head.

_'So tacky…'_

"So, this is the infamous Red Hunter?" He said, a smug grin on his face.

 _'His teeth are too white…'_ Despite her negative thoughts towards him, he continued with his mocking speech.

"Seems even someone as insane as you can't defy the World Government for too long, huh? You see, people like you don't have the capability of reigning free out in the world. At some point, you'll make a fatal mistake." He gave a short laugh, a bit high pitched for a grown man to be making.

_'Almost like a girl…'_

Summer didn't say anything. She just stared at the man, with indifferent eyes. His smug look fell a little at the lack of response. Scowling, he turned away from her cell.

"Fire Fist Ace's execution is scheduled for tomorrow. They say Whitebeard is gonna be there to rescue his own. Well, I say good luck because there's nothing that's gonna stop that execution. Just goes to show that scum like you all reach the same fate eventually." His footsteps walked away quickly until she couldn't hear anything except her own breathing and drips of water from the prison ceiling. She closed her eyes in thought. Despite the hopeless situation she was in, she couldn't help but grin.

_'Fire Fist Ace, huh? Well, damn. Blood will be shed before all of this is over.'_


	2. Escape

"Please, let me out! I don't wanna die! Please! Please!" The man's cries became more desperate as he was dragged closer to his cell. The prison escorts on either side of him were stone faced and silent as they gripped him by the arms. They wore thick fur coats and gloves while the man wore only his prison uniform. The man tried to kick his way out of their grasp but he was too weak and starved to put up much of a fight. "Please." He sobbed violently, finally going limp as they reached his cell. Wrists and ankles were chained to the wall and the two guards left after locking the cell.

Summer watched the scene with disinterest. She had stopped caring who was in the same prison with her a long time ago. Before, it had been a sort of game to try to figure out who the fellow prisoners had been before being sent here. Now, it held no amusement to her. Besides, the man was so weak-willed, judging by his weak protests, it wouldn't have mattered who he was. She closed her eyes again as the man seemed to quiet down.

She wrapped her arms tighter around herself in an effort to retain some body heat. Even though she knew from the thousands of times she had performed the same action before that it would make no difference whatsoever, she just couldn't help it. The cold was uncomfortable but familiar, though the wind was the worst part. It seeped into your core and stayed there.

'At least it's not wet and freezing.'

The freezing hell of Impel Down had become a sort of home for Summer. Strange as it may seem, part of her was happy she wasn't out in the world. Being out there meant there was a possibility of being captured by Him. That risk was enough to keep her here. At the same time, she wanted him to pay for everything he had put her through. Shaking her head, she mentally kicked herself.

'You aren't strong enough. Not yet at least…'

One day, she would be out of here. The opportunity just had arisen yet.

* * *

 

"Hey, did you hear? Boa Hancock is visiting the prison! She's here right now!" Two prison guards were conversing as they passed by her cell. The other man looked surprised.

"What could she possibly want here? Someone of her beauty shouldn't be around a prison full of scum."

"No idea, but they say that she is going to see Fire Fist Ace before he..." The guards were now too far away to be heard. The conversation had definitely piqued her interest.

'What would a Shichibukai be doing here?'

* * *

 

Far off somewhere, Summer could hear the elevator that went to the sixth level slowly making its way down to the lowest floor. It was faint, but she could just pick it out of the loud wind.

'They're coming down to get Ace for the execution.'

She wasn't sure how she knew that. There was no way to tell time down in this prison, so she had no way of knowing if today was even the execution day. Part of her just knew.

After the elevator had long past left the Freezing Hell level, Summer still listened for the return ride going up.

Summer didn't personally know Fire Fist, nor did she necessarily like him, but she respected that he was a powerful individual and the values he believed were important to uphold. The story of his quest to avenge his comrade's death was a well-known one. To go to such lengths just to kill a friend's murderer is truly something to be commended for.

If she remembered correctly, he also had a brother. Luffy was his name. The boy was said to have achieved great things for being a rookie pirate. She didn't have the strength to think of all of the feats he had performed, but the list was lengthy. Summer smirked.

'Quite the eccentric, isn't he? I'm sure he'll make things interesting for you, World Government.'

The elevator returned into her field of hearing. She opened her eyes, despite the impossibility of seeing the elevator itself. It was built into the walls of the prison, far away from her reach. The slow ascent must feel even slower to the occupant inside. She silently sent her condolences out to Fire Fist, knowing he would never hear them.

* * *

 

Somewhere, a large commotion was taking place. Crashes and explosions could be faintly heard from the levels above. The earth seemed to shake, and the vibrations from whatever was happening shook Summer awake. She lazily opened one eye, not fully conscious yet, to search for the source of the noise. Once it became apparent it wasn't nearby, she opened the other one. Another crash caused her to look up. All she saw was the stone ceiling.

"Hey! What's going on? What's happening?" A prisoner in the cell across from hers asked the prison guards. The guard was stressed and upset as he spoke quietly into a snail phone. He spun to face the prisoner.

"Shut up! This doesn't concern you!" He turned away and ran towards the entrance of the prison level. Something in Summer began to stir. It was a feeling that she hadn't experienced in a very long time and for a moment it left her confused. She searched for a word to describe it.

'Anticipation.' Summer smiled.

'This is your opportunity.'

The noises continued for a long time. Prison guards from her level rushed to the ones above or took up defensive positions around the entrance. Many began shouting into snail phones, and she listened to their communications.

"The intruder has reached Wild Beast Hell and is progressing to Starvation Hell! Stop his advance!" The guards gave each other worried looks and nervously checked over their weapons. Several minutes of frantic updates came from the snail phones. "There are two other prisoners with him!"

"The entire second floor is in chaos!" Several guards from this level left, presumably to help with the upper floors.

"Massive prison escape in progress!" More guards left their position.

"We can't contain Level 4!"

"Where is Magellan? We can't reach him!"

Summer was now smirking as she listened to the close conflict on the level above her. It was obvious the prison had no grasp of how to handle the situation. A single intruder had managed to make his way down to level four of the supposed 'impenetrable prison.'

'Who would be crazy enough to try?'

"Don't let them through!" The guards in front of her cell shout, before all of them begin shooting at something in the direction of the entrance. A man with odd face makeup came into Summer's line of sight. With only a few kicks, the guards lay unconscious on the ground around him. His fighting style closely resembled the dance of ballet, which Summer found very odd. The surprised guards didn't stand a chance against the prisoner as he finished off the last few men.

He paused for a moment to catch his breath, but Summer could see he was in a hurry. He eventually noticed her presence, coming closer to the cell.

"The Newkama Land is rumored to be somewhere on this level. Do you know where it is? It's urgent! A boy's life is on the line!" He said. His fingers gripped tightly around the frozen bars. "Please, if you know, tell me! My friend is in danger!"

Summer had heard the rumors. The infamous Level 5.5, supposedly ruled by the Okama Queen Iva, spoken about only in whispers. The prisoners who were supposedly 'demoned away.' The guards acted as if nothing was going on, but she knew they were aware of the strange occurences. The fact was, there was nothing they could do about it unless they found the entrance, which was next to impossible. She had wondered about it herself for a time, but dismissed it as a means of escape fairly quickly.

Summer nodded her head in response. The man leaned forward in expectation. She looked to the right of her cell and nodded her head in the direction the prisoners had been 'demoned away' from. "Forest…" Speaking was difficult, but she was strong enough to tell him that much. She wanted to tell him the truth, that actually finding the Newkama Land was just about impossible, but she didn't have the strength nor the heart to do so. The man's face broke out into a relieved smile.

"Thank you." The man rushed to go but suddenly he stopped. He turned and looked at her a moment. His face turned thoughtful, as if debating something over. He reached some sort of conclusion because he leaned down over one of the guards and grabbed the ring of keys. Tossing them inside near her feet, he gave her one last nod before running off towards the forest.

'Finally.'

Summer quickly moved and snatched up the keys, inserting them into the chains. Her wrists came first; the metal restraints fell loudly onto the ground at her side. The ankles were a bit more difficult. The simple act of leaning over was difficult after maintaining the same position for so long.

Slowly, flexing each muscle so as not to strain herself, she stood. It felt stiff, all the joints in her body protesting. She didn't mind the pain. It was a welcome change to being numb all the time. Her first steps were jerky and hard. Eventually, she made her way to the cold metal door of her cell. Her fingers clutched onto the keys with a death grip, as if she expected someone to take them away from her. The guards were all unconscious so as far as she knew, she was safe.

It took several tries before the door swung open with a loud shriek. The noise caught the attention of several prisoners nearby.

"Hey! Let me outta here too!" A cry of agreement rose up from the others. They pounded on the bars, creating a deafening noise, demanding Summer release them from captivity.

"I wanna go home!"

"I'll give you half of my treasure when I get outta here! Just let me out!"

"Give us the keys!"

The men's demands only annoyed her. Glancing around, she noticed many of them were well-known wanted criminals. This was level 5 after all. Odds were, once they were back out in the world they would continue to commit the crimes they were in here for. None of them looked too friendly, and damn her if she actually believed any of their promises. Without a word, Summer relocked her cell door and threw the keys inside near the back wall. It grew deathly silent before angry shouts erupted.

"You bitch!" Hands reached out through the bars in an attempt to grab her, but they were too far away to do anything. "Who the hell do you think you are, huh?"

'A monster. A freak. Hell itself. Take your pick.'

Summer smirked. If she had the ability to retort back that she was, in fact, a very dangerous person, she would have. Unfortunately, she knew her voice wouldn't be working properly for some time.

She looked at her situation thoroughly in her head, tuning out the other prisoners. She was out of her cell, it was difficult to move but after walking around a bit that should clear up. It was freezing and she didn't have the proper clothing to last very long outside. The cell walls had protected her from the worst of the strong wind that blew throughout the level. Now that she was in the open, she had no protection.

The prison was in chaos. She'd have to have the luck of the gods to successfully make it out by going through the path the intruder took down. No doubt, the place was crawling with guards on alert for any escaped prisoners. Her striped uniform made it impossible to try to sneak anywhere.

Her gaze fell upon the guards on the ground and she got an idea. She then recognized the consequences of carrying it out. It was a humiliating thought. Knowing she had no other option, she stripped down to her undergarments. Ignoring the catcalls of the other prisoners, who most likely hadn't seen a woman in years, she put on the guard's uniform. Her face was red as she fixed the outfit. Luckily, the clothes fit relatively well. The shirt was a little tight in the bust area, but there was no helping that. The unfortunate guard was left on the ground in his polka dot boxers and socks.

After adjusting the hat and picking up the guard's weapon, she reassessed her plan. Now she could blend in with any threat and access better means of escape. Which still left the most important question.

'How do I get out of Impel Down?

The answer came to her quickly.

'The elevator.'

Making her way towards the wall, Summer tried her best to walk normally. Each step was painful. She felt unbalanced and unsteady. Inwardly, she cursed the state she was in and vowed to get back in shape when this was all over.

The walk to the elevator was quite long. Longer than she had expected. Luckily for her, there appeared to be no other guards on this level so the walk there was uneventful. The door to the lift was large and made of stone. It was darkened and imposing, glaring down at her. Next to it on the wall was a number panel. She sighed.

'Damn it, I need the code.'

There were no guards nearby to force to open the door. Even then, she didn't want to risk anyone knowing there was a disguised prisoner on the loose.

She examined the panel closely. Some numbers were slightly worn away, their buttons tarnished. From this, she knew the code was made up of the numbers 1, 2, 3, and 4. She deadpanned as she realized.

'You have got to be kidding me. It couldn't actually be…'

She punched 1-2-3-4 into the panel and a green light appeared. In the distance, she could hear the gears of the elevator beginning to turn. Summer facepalmed.

'What idiot makes an elevator code in Impel Down 1-2-3-4? Most secure prison in the world my ass.'

The doors opened a few moments later. Inside were several guards equipped with guns of all kinds. They wore expressions of shock.

"We were told all the guards on this floor had been taken down." One said. Summer didn't have to fake stumbling forward thanks to her weak state. Dramatically, she doubled over coughing. Weakly reaching forward, she gripped the side of the elevator.

"Have to…give…report…Main Floor." She breathed out. At her words, the nearest of the four guards rushed over to help her inside. His strong arms supported her small frame as she was guided in.

"Are you alright?" She nodded her head. They all looked worried. A woman in the car came over and checked her over for wounds. Summer assumed she was a medic of some kind judging by her calculating gaze.

"You don't have many wounds at all. How did you manage to escape?" She asked. Summer looked away, quickly thinking up a lie.

"I…hid. I'm a…coward." She broke into another fit of coughing to keep up the act. "But now…I have to redeem…myself. I'll give my report." The woman shook her head slowly.

"With that cough you'll most likely come down with a sickness. You're in no shape to give that report. Let me take you to the infirmary and I can give it for you."

Summer thought quickly. If she was taken to the infirmary, there was a great chance of being found out. They wouldn't let her out of their sight either. She shook her head vigorously as she took a shot in the dark.

"You all…probably have your own orders…to do. I have to do…my duty and…give this report. You do yours. For…the sake of the people." She didn't mean a word she said but she forced herself to sound determined.

To her relief, it worked. The others seemed to be emboldened by her little speech and wore determined looks of their own. The nurse smiled slightly.

"If you're absolutely sure. But I expect to see you right afterwards in my office." She pushed the button for the main floor and the doors closed. The rest of the ride was mostly silent except for Summer's random bouts of coughing and the sound of chaos outside on the other levels.

She half expected there to be cheesy elevator music while they rode. At this point, nothing would surprise her more than that ridiculous code they used for the elevators.

A loud Ding! signaled that the lift had reached the floor. The door opened to reveal an empty hallway. No one was up here, which was no surprise. All able guards were sent to take care of the intruder. Summer moved to step out of the elevator but a strong hand pressed down on her shoulder, keeping her in place. She froze.

"Hold on there." She didn't move a muscle, expecting his next words to be something along the lines of 'You're not really a guard.' She slowly turned to face him. Despite her internal panic, her outward appearance was calm and collected. His face matched hers in seriousness. Summer dry swallowed, mentally preparing herself for a fight she knew she wasn't ready for. Four guards against a weakened prison inmate had an obvious outcome.

"I have to thank you for reminding me what it means to be wearing this uniform. I guess I had forgotten how important our duty actually is." He pointed towards her. "You are the true embodiment of a marine, Miss…" He waited for her to give her name. Fortunately, she had experience in giving fake names and created one off the top of her head.

"Rose. Rose Priest. And thank you, sir." He nodded, sticking out his hand for her to shake. She reached forward and took it. He had a firm grip.

"Good luck to you then. Now, we'll be off." He stepped back into the elevator and the door closed after them. Summer breathed out in a sigh of relief and turned her attention to the main floor.

Seeing any place that wasn't the snowy mayhem of Level 5 came as a sort of new-found discovery. She could barely remember the day they brought her through the exact doors she stood in front of now. The most prominent memory was the 'baptism.' She passed that room and quickly moved on, wanting to be away from such a place. The feel of the scalding water was too long ago to remember, but she remembered the pain. She could also recall being angry. Angry at herself and at the world.

That anger had slowly subsided and now she walked through the doors with indifference. The sun blinded her and she stopped walking, holding up a hand to shield her eyes.

'The sun…'

She couldn't remember the last time she had stood in the sun. She didn't think it could ever have felt as wonderful as it did now. The faint warmth it gave off was heavenly bliss. Her still-frozen body couldn't feel anything but the higher temperature didn't give her pain like the cold had. It was gentle.

Finally breaking out of her thoughts, she looked ahead to see a ship docked at the main bridge. No one was out here, not a single person.

'Of all the places to guard, you would think the means of escape would be the first choice…'

Her feet brought her all the way to the deck of the ship. Her plan was to stowaway on one of the ships and sneak off at their next stop. So far, so good.

She silently searched through the lower deck. There was the kitchen pantry she could hide in, but she didn't want to risk hiding in a high-traffic area. She seriously thought about the engine room for a time but came to the conclusion that mechanics would be working there constantly, thus limiting her chances of escaping unnoticed.

Finally, she came across an old storage room near the back of the ship. Inside were cleaning supplies and extra blankets. No ammunition or weapons, thankfully. If she was right about Fire Fist Ace's execution, Whitebeard would definitely be making an appearance and the marines would be looking everywhere for every gun they had available to them.

She knew it would be some time before the prison would calm down and anyone came back to the ships. Closing the door and locking it behind her, she walked further inside. Taking several blankets, she made a makeshift bed on the floor behind a bunch of boxes. There was nothing to use as a pillow, but Summer didn't mind much.

Exhausted from her so-far-successful escape, Summer instantly drifted off to the first good night's sleep she had experienced in over a year.


	3. Stowing Away...Again

An explosion boomed,throwing Summer against the wall of the ship and knocking her awake. She lay dazed for a moment, unsure of where she was. Once she remembered she got to her feet quickly. No one was in the storage room, so she hadn't been found. A quick once-over ensured her that she wasn't injured besides a few minor bruises. The ship lurched violently again, and she grabbed onto the nearest shelf to steady herself.

A mirror was attached to the wall next to her. For what reason, Summer didn't know. She took a moment to look herself over. Her violet eyes scrutinized her face, frowning at her appearance. Her long blond hair was pretty tangled, face dirty and thin from lack of food in Impel Down. She was extremely pale, almost ghostly. She hastily looked away from herself.

Listening closely, the sound of swords and gunfire made Summer realize that they must be at Ace's execution. Cannons from nearby ships boomed and the earth shook.

'Whitebeard is angry it seems.'

Opening the door a crack revealed that no one was in the hallway outside. There were no voices anywhere, no pounding feet, nothing. The ship was empty, as far as she knew. Warily walking through the lower deck, Summer emerged from the ship and halted in shock of her discovery.

They were at Marineford, alright. A severely destroyed Marineford. The main building was in ruins, a shadow of its former glory. Thousands of marines and pirates waged war down below. The sea was frozen over, she assumed by Admiral Aokiji. Prominent among those below, she spotted Sengoku standing on the scaffold. Whitebeard stood on the top of his ship. Fire Fist Ace could be seen kneeling on the gallows, two executioners standing beside him. Several Shichibukai were fighting their own battles.

She stared down at the bloody conflict for a moment before she examined the situation. Sneaking a ship away would be impossible at this point; the sea was still frozen over and only a few marine ships farther away were in the clear. They would be filled with soldiers, as well.

Staying until everything was over wasn't a very good plan either. At some point she would be dragged into the fight. Screams of pain and the smell of blood surrounded her, but she wasn't affected by it.

"Hmm…" She stood pondering her options, a hand on her chin in thought, when something in the sky caught her attention. She frowned, squinting up at the object. It looked like…

"A ship?" She asked aloud in confusion.

'What the hell?'

A marine ship was falling from the sky. The dark green bottom hull grew larger and larger as it descended. She watched in awe as it sailed downwards, miraculously landing in an unfrozen patch of sea. Seawater sprayed everywhere, drenching pirates and marines alike. Much of the conflict stopped when the ship landed, everyone too shocked by what they had witnessed. Somehow, the ship didn't capsize; however, it did split in half upon impact with the water.

Once it had settled, she made out dozens of people onboard. She spotted Jinbe, another Shichibukai, standing on the deck. A large-headed person in a very exotic outfit stood next to him. Crocodile was there as well.

'Crocodile was a prisoner at Impel Down. How did he escape?'She quickly came to one conclusion. 'Luffy was the intruder.' She shook her head in amazement.

Summer leaned on the ship's railing waving smoke away from her face as she watched the violence ensue. So much was going on; it was difficult to process everything at once. The boy, whom she had eventually identified as Luffy, truly was determined. Each opponent that came his way didn't last very long and he continued to push his way through. He defeated thousands in an attempt to save his brother.

Summer suddenly ducked behind the ship's railing to avoid a stray light beam from Kizaru's attack. "Damn marines…" She muttered as she straightened up.

The war seemed endless, going on for well over an hour and a half. She glanceed over at Whitebeard from time to time, curious as to how he would react to the unfolding events. From this distance, the fighting looked to be unreal. The toys of a child as he recklessly knocked the plastic pieces together.

* * *

 

The war continued. It seemed as if Whitebeard intended to finish the battle with his life. A proper ending to the old Age of Pirates. He continued to slice through marines around him. Just as Ace and Luffy were set on escaping, Akainu attacked them both. From this distance it was hard to tell, but it looked to Summer as if Ace was struggling. The next thing she knew, Ace was dying in the hands of his younger brother.

Jinbe picked up the distraught Luffy and fled from the Admiral. She could clearly see Luffy's face in Jinbe's arms. It was blank with his mouth wide open. As if his mind couldn't take the reality. Summer looked away from the painful scene. What she found instead piqued her interest.

Sitting in the water nearby was a yellow submarine, not too far from her. Several people stood on its deck. Out of all of the figures, she recognized only one.

'Trafalgar Law…Interesting.'

He shouted at Buggy, who was flying through the air carrying Luffy, to let him take Strawhat. Everyone onboard the submarine was focused on Luffy. The large submarine doors were left wide open behind them. An idea struck Summer. An insane, stupid, and life-threatening idea.

'Take the chance. Go.'

Summer jumped in the water. The cold came as a slight shock to her, though nowhere near as bad as the cold of the prison, and she swam over to the submarine as quickly and silently as she could. Luckily, they hadn't closed the doors to submerge. She silently slunk aboard, keeping her eye on the backs of the men on the deck, and slipped inside without anyone noticing. Knowing that there are probably more men inside, she began looking for a place to hide. Running feet pounded throughout the metal contraption, obviously coming closer, causing Summer to panic. Opening the first door she saw, she slipped inside. She found a kitchen and cafeteria-style mess hall. Spotting a door farther in, she crept into the food storage and locked it behind her.

Her back slid down the door and she sat with her head in her hands, catching her breath. The feet slowly died away, this time the sound of squeaky wheels accompanied them. For now, she was safe. She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding.

'Now what, genius?' She thought. To be perfectly honest, she didn't think this far ahead into the plan, relying on her quick reflexes and instincts to tell her where to go. Now that the initial idea was spent, she drew a blank as to what to do next.

'Perhaps he wont find me and I could hop off at the next island?' She thought sarcastically. She shook her head.

Summer was no idiot. Trafalgar Law would find her onboard his submarine eventually, but that bridge would be crossed when she came to it.

'He's known as the Surgeon of Death for a reason.'

Well, no shit. The World Government didn't give out a bounty over 200,000,000 just for kicks. She had to be cautious around him. His brutality was well known.

Right now, she needed to focus on a more immediate problem.

Her stomach grumbled loudly, reminding her that the last time she had eaten was in Impel Down. Looking down at her stomach sadly, she just then remembered she was still wearing the marine uniform. She brushed the thought off. Nothing she could do now.

Much as she didn't want to get back up, her raging hunger forced her to her feet. Looking around, she found boxes and barrels all neatly stored on rows of shelves full of food. She grabbed an apple and a loaf of bread.

'Better start off small. Don't want my body to reject it.'

The food was gone within seconds, her hunger getting the better of her.

"Now we wait." She said to herself. The submarine's engine suddenly roared to life and she felt the vessel surge forward. Running feet and loud booms echoed through the vessel. The air perpetually smelled of sweat, metal, and oil, it seemed. Her ears popped from the change in water pressure.

'I just need some sleep.' She thought to herself as she involuntarily yawned.

If she expected a smooth ride down to the depths of the ocean, she was greatly disappointed.

The submarine was hit by something and she was thrown forward into the wall. She didn't react quickly enough and couldn't bring up her hands. Her head hit the metal wall and everything went black.


	4. Unfavorable Circumstances

"Come on, no one will know!" Penguin encouraged feverishly. Shachi shook his head adamantly, holding his hands out in front of him.

"No way, man. Captain will find out. He always does with these stupid plans of yours." The two stood in the submarine's dimly lit kitchen, speaking in fevered whispers. After the initial escape from Marineford and stabilizing Luffy's condition, the crew could take a breather. So far, things had gone pretty much back to normal. As it so happened, no one was in the kitchen that afternoon.

"My plans are not stupid. And Captain's too busy making sure Strawhat and that fish guy live to notice." Penguin reached out for the handle to the storage room, but Shachi pushed it away.

"Even if he doesn't find out, Casper will filet us if he hears we stole food!" He was referring to the stoic old cook onboard. The two had felt firsthand what lengths he was willing to go to protect his kitchen.

"He won't find out, I promise! Please?" Penguin begged, clasping his hands together. Shachi shook his head again.

"No."

"But I'm hungry! I can't wait until dinner. It's only a little snack!" Penguin moaned. His friend sighed dramatically and began to walk away.

"You do what you want, but don't get me thrown into it." Penguin's hand appeared on his shoulder, holding him back.

"Rock, paper, scissors. If you win, we won't do it. If I win, we get the food. Both of us." Never one to pass up a challenge, Shachi hung his head and turned around.

"Why does this always happen to me?" He complained. They held their fists out.

"Ready? Rock, paper, scissors!" With every ounce of his being thrown into it, Shachi played scissors, hoping beyond hope that luck was on his side.

Unfortunately, Penguin held out rock, a pleased smirk on his face. Shachi slumped over in a depressing state, muttering about how the gods hated him.

"Yes! Let's do this!" Penguin turned around and opened the door to the food storage. Something blocked it from opening all the way, leaving only a small slit to squeeze into. It was a tight fit, but they both managed. The aroma of all the different foods filled their noses. It was dark inside, and Penguin began searching for the light switch.

"Where is it? Shouldn't it be closer to the door?"Penguin asked to which his friend shrugged, but quickly realized he couldn't see it.

"Well, Casper's always looking for ways to keep us out. Maybe he moved it?"

"Idiot, you can't just move a light switch. It has to be here somewhere." Seconds later, Shachi heard a loud crash close by.

"Dammit!" His friend cursed quietly.

"What was that?" He asked, still trying to locate the lights.

"I just tripped over something. Our escape from Marineford wasn't the smoothest, so there's a ton of stuff on the floor. Hey, if anyone comes in we can just say we were tidying things up!" He exclaimed happily.

"Do you really think anyone would believe that? And try to be a little quieter!"

"Of course, it's foolproof! Ah, I found the lights!" The room instantly lit up and revealed the shelves of food in a state of disarray. Boxes and barrels were strewn everywhere. Thankfully, none of them had opened in the process.

"Well, since we're in here should we actually tidy it up a bit? Maybe we could get seconds at dinner for helping Casper." Penguin nodded enthusiastically.

The two began placing the containers back where they belonged, helping themselves to a few items as they cleaned up. Barely five minutes passed before they heard a groan. They froze up at the sound.

"What was that?" Shachi whispered. Penguin shook his head, still listening for the noise. It appeared again, clearly coming from behind a shelf nearby. They shared a look and slowly advanced towards it.

Something was moving on the other side, barely shifting position, but the men picked up the faint rustling of cloth against the metal floor. Penguin took out the wrench that he kept on his belt at all times. He held it up defensibly. Shachi did the same.

They rounded the corner and spotted someone on the floor, struggling to get up. Containers surrounded it. A heavy box filled with wine bottles had fallen on the stranger's leg, pinning it to the floor and more than likely hindering their ability to walk if they got up. The person groaned again, but this time it sounded slightly feminine.

Shachi opened his mouth to yell out but Penguin used his free hand to clamp it over his friend's mouth. When he felt Shachi had come to terms with the situation he let go of his mouth and brought a finger to his lips in a universal sign for silence. His friend nodded and they both focused their attention back to the person on the floor.

Their uniform looked unusual; A crest was emblazened on the back and the outfit was grey. Shachi suddenly realized and gasped the tiniest of gasps possible. Penguin looked at him in confusion. Shachi mouthed the word 'Marine' to him and they looked back at the floor in panic.

The marine was trying to get up again, squirming around unsuccessfully as their leg was still trapped. Penguin came to a conclusion, as he stepped forward and raised his wrench. The metal tool hit their head with a loud thunk and they dropped back down to the floor, unmoving. He didn't hit them hard enough to kill or seriously injure, but the intruder would probably have a concussion after all was said and done. Both men sighed in relief.

"How did a marine get onboard?" Shachi asked hurriedly, the panic finally settling in.

"I don't know! The question is, what are we supposed to do now?"

"Tell the Captain." Shachi answered instantly. Penguin looked at him as if his skin had turned purple.

"And risk him knowing we were in here to steal food? Can't we just keep him hidden until the next island and ditch him there?" He gestured to the marine. Shachi looked at him seriously.

"No. We have to inform the Captain. With a marine onboard, there could be ships after us. The entire crew could be in danger." At this, Penguin sobered up quickly. Never in a million years would he do something to put his crewmates in harm's way. He nodded in understanding.

"I'll stay here and make sure he doesn't wake up. You go get Captain." Shachi nodded and rushed off to find Law.

Penguin looked down at the prone figure, frowning deeply in thought. The person was face down on the floor so he couldn't see their face, but he took in the petite figure and long hair. His eyes widened as he realized.

'A woman?'

* * *

 

A pounding headache was what eventually woke her up.

"Ow…" She muttered, attempting to reach up and massage her aching head. One arm moved, the other was held back by something. She opened her eyes, blinking rapidly from the brightness of the room. Up above her was an insanely bright lamp. Looking at her now bandaged arm, she found it was handcuffed to the bed she was laying on. Upon a closer look, she found her leg in a splint and she felt her head wrapped in bandages as well. Once her health was checked, she examined the room she was in.

Besides the lamp above her, the room was darkened. The familiar smell of disinfectant and latex in the air was a dead give away, but that didn't make it any less disgusting to Summer.

'I'm in an infirmary.'

Her mind finally began to process the small beeps and strange sounds echoing through the room. Looking to her right, she saw another patient in the corner of the room. The man was in terrible condition. Almost his entire body was bandaged. Dozens of machine surrounded him and wires were attached to several parts of his body. From the small section of his face that wasn't bandaged, she spotted a shock of black hair. Below one of his eyes was a scar. She frowned in thought. The boy looked familiar but she couldn't be sure where she had seen him. Then it dawned on her.

'Is that…Luffy?'

The thought was so unlikely, but as she kept looking at him and seeing that messy head of hair, she had to admit that there was no one else it could be. It took a moment for her to remember Trafalgar Law's appearance at the War at Marineford. He had been trying to convince Buggy to let him take Luffy, but Summer had snuck inside the sub before she found out what had happened afterwards.

A door opened up and she swung her head left to see a man walk in. She instantly regretted it, as the sudden movement made her head spin. He turned on the lights, revealing the obnoxiously white walls. Their color did nothing to help her headache.

'Why can't hospital rooms be a happy color? Like a soft blue? Something that people actually want to look at.'

He walked towards her bed. The first thing she noticed was the yellow and black hoodie he wore with his jolly roger on it. His light blue pants had weird spots on the bottom and he wore black pointed shoes. His hands and arms were tattooed with tribal-style ink. She noticed his hat was missing from his head, revealing his unruly black hair. He stopped next to her bed, holding a folded piece of paper in his hand.

"So, our little marine is awake." He said. He pulled the stool by the side table closer and sat down. He was smirking at her, obviously amused at something.

She didn't say anything in response, still not trusting her voice to be strong enough. He continued to stare at her, unperturbed by her silence. She stared back, unaffected by his intense gaze.

"Although, that's not entirely true, is it? You're not a marine." It wasn't a question, but she nodded anyway.

"That uniform is from Impel Down, correct?" She nodded again. "You're in too bad of a condition to be a guard there. What's more, I heard there was a large break out a few days ago. A few hundred prisoners escaped."

'That many got out? Damn.' She smiled slightly, once again nodding confirmation.

He leaned back in his chair. "Hmm. What is your name?" She knew the question was coming and had already thought up a fake name for it.

"Natalie." Her voice was clear and confident, much to her surprise. He didn't say anything but stared at her for awhile.

"Liar." He said. He unfolded the paper he had been carrying, and Summer now noticed his fingers were tattooed with the words D-E-A-T-H. He turned the paper around to show her what it was. She closed her eyes and sighed. It was her wanted poster.

'I don't want to see it. Take it away.'

It showed Summer, covered in blood, turned to the right looking somewhere in the distance. Her face was dirty but her outward expression was of pure indifference. Behind her, a marine base of some sort lay in ruins. Below the picture was the name given to her by the marines. She didn't even glance at the paper. Smirking, Law read it out loud for her, knowing she was uncomfortable with it.

"The Red Hunter Summer. Considered armed and extremely dangerous. Do not approach. If sighted, immediately contact marine forces. Bounty: 195,000,000 beli."

The bounty had risen since she last looked at it. Though she assumed the prison had taken notice of her absence and reissued her wanted poster. Judging by her bounty rise, they were desperate to get her back.

"Miss Summer-ya, I don't appreciate being lied to." Though his words were threatening, he didn't appear to be angry at all. Instead, he looked amused. She sighed again and his smirk seemed to grow wider.

"What I would like to know is what you are doing on my submarine." His words held an underlying threat. It wasn't hard to pick up the message he was sending of 'Tell me what I want to know or there will be consequences.' Summer then realized there was no way she could lie to Trafalgar Law. He knew who she was and what she was known for. He was at the complete advantage as well, her injury and lack of weapons preventing her from defending herself. For the time being, she had to cooperate with the sadistic pirate captain.

"I needed a way off of Marineford. Your submarine just happened to be there." He crossed his arms.

"I assume you came in with the ship that fell out of the sky then." At this she shook her head.

"I escaped my own way from Impel Down. I snuck onto a marine ship in disguise." She said glancing down at her guard uniform. "I watched everything from a distance."

"You are quite lucky to have avoided the battle." The words themselves sounded impressed, but his tone held no hint of admiration. Summer laughed slightly.

"I wouldn't call it luck. More like...happenstance." He raised an eyebrow.

"Happenstance?"

"Well, luck's never payed me any heed."

"Interesting…" He said. Internally, Summer could almost feel his mind turning over this information.

'Because that's all I am. Information.'

It made her sick.

'You're just like the rest of them. Don't act all high and mighty, you sadistic bastard.'

Though Law's pleasant...well, somewhat pleasant attitude, surprised Summer, she could sense the underlying caution and distrust between them. Sure, the conversation was trivial enough, but...

'I can't trust him.'

There was a few seconds of silence, save for the ever-present beeping of the machines attached to Luffy. She glanced towards the boy.

"That's Luffy, isn't it?" Her question brought Law out of his thoughts, a frown appearing on his face at her intrusion. He also looked over at him. He nodded. "How is he?"

"Physically, his wounds should heal. As to his mental state, I'm not sure." He glanced curiously at her. "Why do you ask?" She shrugged, not taking her eyes away from Luffy.

"It would be a shame for him to die after going through such an effort to save his brother. I mean, who else could have come as close as he did to stopping that execution?" Law's answer wasn't immediate.

"I am not here to discuss Strawhat-ya. I'm here to decide the issue of what to do with you, Miss Summer-ya." This brought her attention back to Law.

"What are you going to do with me exactly?" He smirked again and it was beginning to annoy her.

"Two things. First, seeing as you are injured and cannot move just yet, you will remain my patient here until you are fully healed."

'Well, that's reasonable enough, I guess. I've got no where else to go anyway.' She waited for him to continue.

"Second, you will join my crew."

'...Excuse me?'

"What?" She asked heatedly.

"You will join my crew." At this point she was done with pretending to be nice.

"And why the hell would I do that." He shrugged her obvious anger off.

"You aren't in any position to refuse. I could kill you, if that's what you want. I'd rather not, though. You interest me too much." She frowned.

"Interest you?"

"I've heard about your exploits before Impel Down. However, a year before those events and your childhood seem to be shrouded in mystery. Someone so mysterious will catch my interest."

His mention of her childhood instantly shut her off. Those memories were not welcome in her mind any longer. As soon as she was back in His control, her mind erased those times. No amount of convincing would make her remember them again. She looked away from him, forcing her expression to become indifferent.

"Nothing about my childhood is interesting, believe me. It's not worth the effort of finding out. And I'm not joining your crew." Out of the corner of her eye, she saw his damned smirk again.

"Oh, I highly doubt that, Miss Summer-ya. You have nowhere else to go. And one way or another, I'll find out all there is to you. Whether it be by persuasion or force, I will come to know your past." She looked at him in annoyance.

"Suppose I do join your damned crew. I know you intend to use me. What possible use would I have to you?" At her rude tone, his smirk fell just a little.

"My chef needs assistance in the kitchen nowadays. You will help him there. You can cook, I assume?" Frustrated, she sighed and nodded.

"Yeah. I'm not incompetent, you know."

'What a douche.'

"Good. As soon as you can walk, you'll start working with him."

Law rose from his seat and walked over to Luffy, critically gazing at the injured boy. A clipboard sat on the side table and he wrote a few things in it. Once done, he walked over to the other side of the room where a second patient lay on the table. It was Jinbe, the Shichibukai. During her chat with Law, she hadn't even noticed the fishman's presence. After checking over both men, he turned back to Summer. Wearing that infuriating smirk.

"I suggest you get as much rest as possible. One of my crew will bring you your dinner later." He made his way towards the door.

"Trafalgar Law."

At the mention of his name, he paused and looked back at her. Once she had gotten his full attention, she continued.

"It would be wiser to stay the hell out of my past. You may not like what you find." He was about to speak but she beat him to it.

"It would be a shame if your crew's safety was compromised because of your curiosity, you know."

His gray eyes narrowed, but he said nothing. Opening the door, he left without a glance back.

Summer closed her eyes in irritation.

'How the hell do I get into these shitty situations? Do you just hate me that damned much, whatever gods are up there?'

Luckily for her, they didn't answer.


	5. I Heard It Down The Grapevine

*An island somewhere*

The highly classified research lab on Aspis was in chaos. Scientists and researchers searched through thousands of project and subject files. Papers piled up around their feet as each paper was read and quickly discarded. Frenzied shouting filled the research hall of the laboratory. The noise was of great disturbance to the Research Team Leader, Doctor Mundy.

The uproar in the hall below his office somehow managed to invade his soundproofed room. He kept the lights off and the air conditioning on full blast despite the already below freezing temperatures outside. Slouching back in his comfy desk chair, the haggard man slowly sipped his lukewarm coffee. He held his head in one hand and drank with the other, rereading that day's newspaper for perhaps the hundredth time.

His headaches had disappeared as soon as they had heard the news. The release of the newspaper after the 'War of the Best', as they were now calling it, had set the small lab into action once again. Preparations for tests and experimentations were being made as he sat in his cold office.

'So, it begins again.' The doctor mused to himself. He allowed a ghost of a smile to grace his lips, gazing down at the paper. Several pictures were taken of the bloody conflict and littered the front page, mostly showing the marines' 'victory.' These he held no interest in. No, his attention was rapt on one face in particular, the picture several pages into the paper. He closed his eyes in thought as he drank more coffee.

The noise down below persisted still. Before any major plans could be made, they had to find it first. Somewhere it laid waiting in that godforsaken paper pile of fruitless endeavors. For years it lay untouched, awaiting the day its subject returned. He could almost feel its yearning to be filled with information and discoveries.

'Files are not humans, Max. Do not think of them as such.' Doctor Mundy reminded himself, forcing his brain to think rationally and objectively.

"I found it! It's right here! Look, its here!" Loud shouts strained to be heard over the deafening voice of the crowd. Shouts of delight arose and clapping started up from the scientists. Several minutes later, the doctor heard footsteps approaching his office door. He waited patiently for the impending knock, uttered a calm 'come in' when it came, and watched as the younger scientist breathlessly entered.

The woman immediately went over to his desk and placed the manila file folder on top. A blood-red stamp of CLASSIFIED decorated the cover, as well as a long code. 711-A549: the subject identification number. Glancing up at the woman, Doctor Mundy looked her over carefully as he placed the coffee mug down on the desk. She had short brown hair, glasses and a beautiful smile. She was quite short, no taller than five feet, but she held herself high as she stood in front of him. Her name tag identified her as Dr. Margaret Kemp. He directed his gaze to the file she had placed there, slowly reaching for it.

Opening it carefully in front of him, it revealed several photographs of the subject and detailed accounts of the experiments performed. The woman's smile had faded, waiting expectantly for the doctor to address her. Doctor Mundy scanned over the contents for several minutes, not even acknowledging the woman's presence. She began wringing her hands out of pure nervousness. Why wasn't he saying anything? That was the right file wasn't it? Maybe she should have…

"You may go now, Margaret." She looked up at his voice, but his gaze was still affixed to the file. She nodded her head.

"Oh. Yes, sir." Quickly taking her leave, she breathed a sigh of relief as the door closed behind her. She went off to celebrate with the other researchers in the break room.

Doctor Mundy read every word of the documents over lovingly, reveling in every detailed response made by the subject. Even as he reached the end of the reports, his hunger was not sated. Closing the folder again, he calmly stood from his chair and faced the back wall.

There, his medical awards and certificates surrounded one paper that looked oddly out of place on the official-looking wall.

A wanted poster, severely worn from previous handling, was pinned in the middle. Mundy walked over and gently stroked the face, truly smiling for the first time in a long time. Distantly, he could pick up the cheers of the other scientists as they celebrated. He ignored them. His coffee was left forgotten on the wood desk behind him. He had eyes only for one.

"Summer, my dear. I can't wait to have you back home."

* * *

 

*Somewhere in the New World*

"Captain! These are the only survivors. We couldn't find anyone else." A crewman hauled over the last two survivors of the small town to the group of pirates. Behind him, the former village lay in ruins; buildings sported dozens of holes from the ship's cannons. Bodies littered the road. The two people, a young couple, were thrown onto the ground, terrified expressions fixed on their faces. Both were bound and gagged, much to the captain's delight. It always made it more interesting that way.

The girl whimpered as he sauntered over, a sound he truly loved to hear. Holding onto her arm and taking the gag from her mouth, he watched as she tried to shake herself free from him.

"Let me go! Please!" Her voice was filled with fear, causing the pirates around them to laugh darkly. The captain joined in as well. His grip tightened and she gasped in pain.

"Well now, why would I do something like that? The fun has only just begun!" He placed a foot on her chest and kicked her away. She was sent sprawling over towards the man, who watched the scene in disgust and fear. He looked around at his crew expectantly; all eyes were on him.

Smiling, he grabbed a bag of loot from the stacked pile nearby and began walking towards the ship. He spoke to the men over his shoulder. "Alright, you've waited long enough. Have your fun. But leave the man to watch. His pain is half the entertainment." Snickers and the sound of zippers arose behind him. The girl's cries made it all the more enjoyable.

"Captain." A call from the ship turned his attention above him. Standing on the bow was his first mate, holding the newspaper in his hand. He wore a wide grin, clearly happy about something.

"What is it?" Viper asked indifferently, neither happy nor angry that the crewmate was calling for his attention.

"I think you should see this." He tossed the paper down at him. Viper caught it easily. The front page proclaimed the supposed marine victory at Marineford, to which Viper had to chuckle.

"Marine victory, huh? Sure, if they can call that slaughter-fest a victory." The first-mate laughed as well.

"That's not all, though. Turn to page six." The captain did so, scanning the page carefully. His eyes landed on a certain wanted poster. His eyes widened in delight and he laughed out loud.

"Well, what do you know! It's about time!" He turned around to the crew, watching as the men had their 'fun.' The woman was an emotional wreck at this point, sobbing and squirming uncontrollably. The man strained against his bonds and the hands of his captives, fury overtaking him as he watched his partner's treatment. Suddenly wanting to get into action, Viper spoke up. "Enough fun for one night, we have a new objective!"

Grumbles were heard as they reluctantly moved away from the distraught couple, zipping their pants back up and looking curiously at the captain. He held the paper up to them.

"Our little friend is back in the world! It's been too long, don't you think?" The crew roared in agreement. "We leave in an hour! Gather the loot and get aboard! We're backtracking a little!"

* * *

 

"I'm fine! Quit touching me!" Summer swatted the medic's hands away as she sat on the edge of the bed in an attempt to stand on her bad leg. Law had given her painkillers before their conversation so she hadn't considered her injury a major problem. Now that they had worn off, the pain was almost unbearable. Despite her condition, the last thing she wanted to do was have to be dependent on the sadistic bastard's mercy in order to live. In her effort, she was determined to speed her recovery along and be mobile sooner than he had estimated, even if it meant facing the pain.

"Please sit down! If you move around too much you'll..." He began, but Summer pushed him away again.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'll just end up making it worse. You've told me. To be honest, I don't really give a shit if it gets worse. I refuse to be confined in this damn room any longer." Even in her anger, she didn't raise her voice to the man nor was she genuinely angry at him. Summer recognized that he was only following his orders from Law to watch over her in case she needed anything. Or to stop her in an event that she try to move. Such as this one.

But she had to get out of that room. Her fear of hospitals and anything to do with doctors was starting to affect her. The smell alone was giving her horrible flashbacks. Even in her hurry to get out, she took care to remain quiet.

Luffy was still recovering. His condition hadn't changed at all in the day and a half Summer had been in the infirmary. Law had come in to check on him several times over the course of the day, but nothing ever changed. She wasn't sure if she could count that as a blessing or a curse. Nevertheless, she didn't want to disturb his much-needed rest. That didn't stop her from resisting her confinement though.

"I just want to exercise it a little. Isn't that good for recovery? It's not like I'm setting out to run a marathon any time soon!"

"I'm sorry, but the captain said you needed bed rest until it was fully healed." He sighed, obviously not happy with having to keep her in the infirmary. She could tell he was getting tired of her arguing over it. At any other time, she might've felt bad. Right now, she didn't care.

"Just a walk in the halls. You can even come with me if you have to." He was wavering, stuck between helping the pleading young woman in front of him and facing his captain's wrath. "Please?" She added.

He eventually agreed to it, on the condition he accompanied her and held onto her arm the entire way. She reluctantly agreed to the second part.

'As long as it gets me out of that damn room.'

Stepping into the hallway was a blessing, even as she gritted her teeth from the excrutiating pain in her leg. The stench of disinfectant and metal instruments was behind her, though the alternative of sweat and machinery wasn't much better. Though she would take anything over the hospital smell she had been forced to endure while she was confined. It was pretty difficult to walk on her leg. It was worse than she thought it had been, but she would never admit that. Silently, she thanked the medic's support on her left arm as they took the hallway one slow step at a time.

"I never caught your name." She said, slightly startling the man beside her. She usually wasn't the one to initiate conversations. He cleared his throat before answering.

"Liam, Miss." His cheeks had a tinge of red coloring, most likely from embarrassment. He spoke very quietly, too. It became very apparent that he was shy by nature and found it difficult to talk to people directly. He didn't look her in the eyes, instead stared straight at the hallway ahead of them. She gave a small smile.

"You don't have to call me Miss, you know. Just call me Summer." It felt a little weird giving her real name, but Law already knew who she was and no doubt would have informed the crew eventually. Lying wouldn't do her anything at this point.

"Sorry, Mi...I mean, Summer. I'll try." They fell silent for a few minutes, but Summer was thinking rapidly.

'How does someone as polite as you end up crewmates with a sadistic doctor?'

"How did you end up joining this crew, Liam?" She asked without really thinking. He glanced at her, quickly shifting his eyes away as they met. His nervousness was getting worse.

"Well, I lived on this small island. Ever since I was a kid, I wanted to study medicine so I could help people." He paused and swallowed thickly. "We weren't very rich and my parents didn't have enough to buy me the books or supplies I needed to study, so I would always have one from the local library."

Summer listened patiently, becoming genuinely intrigued by his story. As he spoke, his confidence grew and he visibly relaxed. "To earn a little extra, I fixed and cleaned ships in the harbor. Well, I brought one of those books with me that day. I kept reading it while I worked; it was really interesting. I was cleaning captain's submarine when he came back and saw me reading the medicine book. He asked me if I was interested in becoming a medic onboard so I could continue studying. Needless to say, I accepted."

"Don't you miss your family?" He shrugged.

"I needed to pursue my dream."

They had arrived back at the infirmary doors and Liam pushed it open for her. Slowly, they walked back to the bed and she gratefully accepted his help getting back up. Once she was situated, she looked back at him.

"Now I see. At first I couldn't understand how someone as kind as you followed someone as sadistic as Law." He blushed a deep red at her compliment but met her eyes for the first time as he spoke.

"Captain is a very kind-hearted person, most people just don't see it because he doesn't let them. Yes, he can be brutal but that's not the only part of him. You'll see." It was a very inspiring speech, but she doubted it. She answered with silence.

Liam glanced at the clock on the wall and straightened up. "I'm going to go get some lunch. Someone should be bringing you something to eat in a little while, alright?" She nodded and gave a small smile.

"Thank you for the walk, by the way. You pirates aren't all that bad." He smiled a little in return and left for the mess deck. She sighed when he was out of sight.

'Don't be getting attached, idiot. You have to leave them soon.' She had found herself warming up to the little crew, or the three or four people she had met so far. But with a captain like Law, there was bound to be a few creeps rallied behind him.

* * *

 

Summer had started to doze off when she heard the doors open. Her first thought was that Liam had come back from lunch, but the person's footsteps were different, almost silent. She opened her eyes and was shocked by what she was.

Walking towards her, carrying a tray of food, was a polar bear. More surprising was the bright orange jumpsuit he was wearing that bore the Heart Pirates jolly roger. Summer was left speechless as the bear came to stand beside her bed. It stared down at her in equal surprise.

"I brought you your food." It said. She widened her eyes.

'It...talked?'

"You can talk?" She asked. The bear had placed the tray on the side table, but when she spoke he looked down in depression.

"I'm sorry." He said gloomily. Summer was horrified at what she had done to him.

"No, no! Don't apologize. I was just surprised is all." Her hands waved back and forth rapidly in apology.

"I'm sorry." He said again. She sighed.

'He's a little sensitive, it seems.'

"What's your name, then?" She asked. He looked reluctantly at her.

"Bepo."

"Well, Bepo. My name is Summer. A pleasure to meet you." She reached out and scratched behind his ear. Instantly, his eyes closed and he leaned into her hand. She smiled brightly and continued the treatment.

'He's so...adorable.'

"I assume you are here to bring me my food, right?" She asked after pulling her hand away. He looked disappointed at the loss of contact, but nodded nonetheless.

"Captain said you needed the proper nutrition to speed up your recovery." He said, gesturing to the silver tray.

It held a glass of water, a simple sandwich, an orange, and a piece of cake. She raised an eyebrow.

"Cake?" She asked.

"Casper likes sweet things. Casper is our cook." He added the second part when he noticed her confused look. Her face cleared as she understood.

She hesitantly took a bite of the sandwich, unsure as to what to expect of a pirate cook's food. She found it to be ok. Bepo sat with her while she ate. They didn't speak, but it was a companionable silence. As she drank the entire glass of water, she noticed Bepo sniffing her.

"Umm...what are you doing?" He immediately straightened and looked away shyly.

"It's just...you smell really nice." Her mouth opened in surprise. Bepo hung his head again. "I'm sorry."

She gently patted his head. "Hey, it's alright. Don't be so sad about everything. And thank you, I'll take that as a compliment." He smiled up at her and she found she couldn't help but smile back. Bepo was absolutely adorable.

'And so soft...'

Bepo stood up quickly when he glanced at the clock. "I have to take this back to the kitchen. Captain's waiting for me." He began walking away but looked back at her. "Bye Summer." She raised her hand in a small wave.

"See ya, Bepo." When Bepo left, she slouched back against the bed. Meeting Bepo was nice, but she reminded herself not to get attached to them.

'Attachments create nothing but pain. Just think about a way off the sub once we get to a highly populated island, how to find Viper, how to get stronger, and quit thinking about Bepo's soft fur!'

No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't help but think of how warm and soft Bepo was. A smile came unbidden to her lips. Even disregarding her year in Impel Down, she hadn't felt that warmth in a long time.

Law leaned against the outside of the infirmary doors, waiting for Bepo to return. The encounter with that woman, Boa Hancock, left him in a foul mood. He was left wondering why such a person was ever given the title of Shichibukai in the first place.

'The woman's an absolute idiot.'

The doors finally opened, and the polar bear entered carrying an empty tray.

"She ate everything?" He asked, focusing on his patients instead of the infuriating pirate empress. The bear nodded.

"Yes, actually she ate everything very quickly." He smirked. The two began to walk side by side towards the mess deck.

"Captain, is she going to be joining the crew?" Law glanced up at his friend.

"As soon as her leg heals." The bear beside him smiled in response.

"That's good. I like her, she's nice."

This didn't surprise him. Anyone Bepo didn't perceive as a threat he had a tendency to like. She probably scratched his fur, which would give her high standings in Bepo's eyes. Law thought the conversation would end there, but the bear continued.

"She smells nice too. Like strawberries and the woods."

Law wasn't sure how to respond so he stayed silent.

"But...it was strange. The entire time I talked to her, she looked happy. When I smelled her though, she smelled afraid, but not of us. She's afraid of someone else."

The bear fell silent after that, deciding that the captain was deep in his thoughts, which he was. Law, meanwhile, was mulling over this new piece of information. From appearance, she was fearless and indifferent. Well, he supposed everyone had to fear something or someone.

"Is there anything else you could figure out, Bepo?" The bear tilted his head in thought, looking back at his observation.

"She didn't like being in the infirmary, I think some of the fear was from that too. I guess she doesn't like hospitals."

The two fell silent again, leaving Law to ponder and Bepo to mull over his own inner thoughts. The bear couldn't stop himself from asking them.

"Captain." Law looked up at him. "Do you think she knows any female bears?"

He couldn't help but grin at his friend. "Probably not, Bepo. But it wouldn't hurt to ask, now would it?"


	6. Self-Denial and Coffee

After resting for another day, she was back on her feet. Walking was still a bit of a chore, she still had to keep her ankle wrapped, but Summer could live with her stiff movements. She walked behind the two engineers as they gave her a tour of the sub.

"This is where the crew sleeps, and over there," The one with the penguin hat said, pointing across the hall." There, is the bathrooms."

"Come on, we'll show you the kitchen." They eagerly guided her through, their attitude towards her much different from the first time they had met.

*Flashback*

"Penguin-ya, Shachi-ya, this is Summer-ya, our new crewmember. I want you to take her around the submarine." Law could see the fear in their eyes and began to second guess his decision. Summer looked at them in confusion.

"Uh, what's their problem?" They looked at her in complete terror, not speaking and shaking slightly. Law smirked when he realized the cause.

"It may be the fact that they were the ones who…"

"No, Captain! Don't tell her! She'll kill us!" The one wearing sunglasses pleaded, clasping his hands together. "Don't tell her we knocked her unconscious in the kitchen storage!" Penguin smacked his head with his fist.

"Idiot! Now she knows!" They looked at her, now both on their knees, begging.

"Please don't kill us!" They cried in unison. Summer could feel Law's calculating gaze studying her, but she ignored it.

She raised an eyebrow. "So that was what hit me. You guys thought I was a marine, right?" They nodded cautiously. "Well, you were only trying to protect your nakama. So no harm done. Though I will have a bit of a headache for awhile." She admitted, rubbing the back of her head.

She just about lost her balance as two bodies launched at her and two pairs of arms wrapped around her waist.

"Thank you!" They kept saying. They kept rambling on about how she was 'the most kind intruder they've ever had.' She gave a very confused look up at Law, who just stood there wearing that damned smirk of his. He walked away casually, leaving her to deal with the two emotional engineers.

*End flashback*

"This is the kitchen, and where you'll be working with Casper." They led her into the mess deck and into the kitchen behind it. It was quite large, fully equipped to serve a large crew. What's more, it was spotless. Not something she would have expected from the kitchen of a pirate crew.

"Watch yourself around Casper. The old cook is as tough as rock." Shachi whispered in her ear. Penguin leaned in on the other side as well.

"We've never seen him smile. Not even once!" She smiled a little and gently shoved them away.

"He can't be that bad, can he?" They nodded their heads.

"Wait till you meet him. Then you'll see." She gave them doubtful looks and followed when they began walking back outside.

"Well, that's just about it. It's a little confusing at first but you get used to it quickly." Penguin said. She smiled sadly.

"I don't think I'll be around long enough to know." She admitted quietly. They stopped and looked at her.

"What do you mean?"

"Yeah, aren't you joining the crew?" Shachi asked. They both looked so disappointed, but Summer forced herself to feel indifferent. She found that harder to do than usual. She shook her head.

"No."

They sighed heavily, slumping over as if defeated.

"I knew it was too good to be true." Penguin commented. Shachi nodded.

"It's the curse of the Heart Pirates. No attractive woman ever stays here very long." She tried fighting back a laugh, but it accidently slipped. At the sound, they both started to sob.

"Such a beautiful laugh, too."

"We'll never hear such a sound in our lives again. We're destined to be alone, doomed to live our days as old bachelors." The two were now on the floor due to their depressed states. Summer couldn't contain herself any longer and laughed loudly at the two men's antics. She had to wipe a tear from her eye, before speaking.

"Oh, don't look so down about it." Giggles escaped her as she spoke. "You'll find someone to join your crew. There's no doubt in my mind." They looked at her sadly.

"Yeah, but can't we just have one female nakama onboard?" Shachi asked miserably. "Is that too much to ask for?"

Penguin began walking away in depression, and Shachi followed him. "Well, I hope you stay here a little longer. You are nicer than you think you are." They slipped away, leaving Summer alone in the kitchen, a smile unknowingly still on her face.

'If only you were right.'

There was nothing to do at that moment, so Summer walked to one of the tables and sat down. Leaning her head on her hand, she gazed out of a nearby window. The ocean was a light blue, her favorite color, revealing how close to the surface they were.

'Don't get attached.'

The thought had a depressing effect on her. She had become accustomed to traveling and living alone. No one to depend on and no one depending on her. Without realizing it, she concluded that such a life wasn't much of a life at all.

'Don't get attached.'

A school of fish swam in front of the glass, dancing in strange patterns. Their shimmering bodies created a beautiful display as the sun hit their scales. Throughout their little dance, they always seemed to move in pairs or groups of three or four. If one ever was left by itself, one would branch off from the larger group and join its side.

The fish swam off quickly as a large predator fish lazily drifted by. His dull brown scales made him ugly in appearance.

'Don't get attached.'

'Yeah ok, I get it.'

'Don't get attached.'

'I know what happened last time! Stop reminding me!'

She suddenly became drowsy, lulled by the gentle rocking of the sub and the warm mess deck. The comfort felt amazing to Summer who was so used to the cold restraints of Impel Down. Her body felt at ease and relaxed for the first time in a long time.

"Small and white, clean and bright…" She unconsciously sang to herself. The song was an old festival tune, one she remembered from a memory. Resting her head on her arms, she closed her eyes and welcomed the confines of the gentle darkness.

* * *

 

Law double checked Luffy and Jinbe, the latter sitting wide awake on his bed, having woken up when the pirate empress boarded the submarine.

"We should be reaching Amazon Lily soon." The fishman said. Law glanced up from the charts and nodded.

"A little more than a day." He wrote down the results of several tests and replaced the clipboard on the side table.

"How did the Red Hunter get aboard this vessel?" Jinbe asked suddenly. Law debated whether to tell the man or not but decided there was no harm to it. As much as he wanted to keep Summer's presence hidden, Jinbe was against the World Government so any information would not reach their ears. The pirate captain didn't want unnecessary conflicts because of her being onboard his ship.

'It would be a shame if your crew's safety was compromised because of your curiosity, you know.' Her words echoed in his mind.

"She snuck aboard while we were at Marineford. My crew found her in the kitchen storage after we had escaped." Jinbe nodded thoughtfully.

"Her escape will make more than a few people happy, and added trouble for you." The statement was downright confusing, Law thought as he frowned deeply.

"What do you mean? Who could profit from her escape?" He crossed his arms and sat down in the stool. Now that his curiosity was piqued, he wasn't going anywhere.

"Mostly scientists. Much of her past is unknown, but I've heard a few rumors. Something about that girl intrigues the science community to the point of issuing a bounty on her head." Law raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"So her bounty wasn't for the destruction of several islands?" The fishman shook his head.

"Another government cover-up. They didn't want smaller research labs knowing about her usefulness, lest they try to use it to their advantage." Law rubbed his goatee in thought, his eyes narrowed.

"What is their interest in her?"

The fishman shrugged. "That I do not know. Sengoku was talking about it before, when I was still a Shichibukai. As soon as he realized my presence, he clammed up." He shifted on the bed, trying to find a more comfortable position. Law noticed the movement immediately.

"If you move, your wounds will reopen and you'll die. Refrain from doing so." Jinbe ignored the order.

"Having that girl with you may be more trouble than it's worth." He warned. "I would consider letting her go when we reach Amazon Lily. I'm sure they'll take her in."

Law said nothing, walking out of the infirmary without looking back.

He really needed a cup of coffee. Making his way to the kitchen, he ran into Shachi and Penguin who were severely depressed by the looks of it. He stopped them in the hall.

"What happened?" He asked calmly. They both sighed.

"Summer told us she doesn't plan on staying with us." Penguin sulked. Shachi nodded in agreement.

"We thought we could finally have a girl as a crewmember, too." He frowned at their words.

"She is a crewmember. Where is she now?" They pointed down the hall where they had come from.

"We left while she was in the kitchen." He nodded and left his two emotional engineers depressed behind him.

Upon entering the kitchen, he stopped at the sight before him. Summer lay sleeping at one of the tables. One arm cradled her head and the other dangled down the table. He smirked at how innocent and childish it made her look.

Her blonde hair framed around her face and cascaded down her back. Now that he got a good look at it, it was longer than he had previously thought. Her slow breathing was the only sound in the room.

'What secrets are you hiding?'

Breaking from his trance-like state, he moved off quietly to get his coffee, leaving the Red Hunter to her sleep.


	7. Casper the Stoic Old Cook

"So you're the new recruit, eh?" Casper glanced her over with arms crossed over his chest. From what she had heard about him, she was a little nervous to meet him at first. They both stood in the kitchen; the crew could be heard conversing in the mess deck just outside. Summer was dressed in an apron and waited as the cook sized her up.

He was older with salt and pepper hair and aging skin. What got her most were his eyes. They were wise and looked as if they knew everything. He had a deeper voice, almost what she imagined a father to sound like. Though when he spoke, she detected a hint of bitterness and caution. Even now, she didn't know exactly how to respond to his question. In reply, she nodded.

"Hmm." He said, still examining her as she was forced to stand there under his gaze. Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

'That's it? All I get is 'Hmm?''

Casper turned his back to her and began placing cookware on the counter. He seemed completely at ease, though she could see he was alert at all times around her. "I assume you can cook since Captain sent you to work with me." She rolled her eyes as her cooking skills once again came into question. "Well, let me get something straight." He said, turning back around and giving her a hard stare, his dark brown eyes piercing her violet ones.

She held his gaze evenly. "What?"

His eyes narrowed slightly. "This is my kitchen, so don't think you can just do what you want here. You'll be under my supervision, so listen to my instructions." She glared.

"I'm 23 years old. I think I can handle myself." She turned away and looked at the recipe they were making. A vegetable soup.

'Easy enough. I've made this plenty of times before.'

Reaching for a cabinet to look for ingredients, her hand was smacked away with a wooden spoon. She jerked it back and held it to her chest.

"Ah! What the hell?" She swung around to look at the old cook and found him with arms crossed, still holding the spoon, glaring at her.

"I told you to listen to what I say. Don't go looking for things before I tell you to." She glared back as she rubbed her injured hand.

'God, a little territorial, much?' Summer sighed in frustration. If this continued-her trying to accomplish something and him watching with such a critical eye-they would never finish dinner. Holding her hands up in surrender, she stepped aside.

"Alright, alright. Just get on with it then." He silently glared at her for another moment before he stepped up to the counter and began to work, probably deciding that that was as close to obedience he was going to get right then.

"First, you need to become familiar with the kitchen." He opened all of the cabinets and drawers as he showed her where all of the equipment was, instructing her which knives were used for what. His explanations were extensive but surprisingly easy to follow. Much as she hated to admit it, she did learn a few things from him as they cooked the crew's dinner.

They worked mostly in silence, save for the few instructions he gave her and the chopping of their knives. When he wasn't explaining how his kitchen worked to her, he really didn't speak much at all. And, just as the two engineers told her, he didn't smile. All his attention was on his work. She watched him as he worked, noting the intensity at which he concentrated when chopping a vegetable or stirring the soup. She began to understand how he worked.

"Put the carrots in now." He said. She did so, stirring the soup a few times to prevent the bottom from sticking. The soup boiled for another few minutes to let the vegetables soften. She looked to him for further instructions. He pointed to the cabinets with bowls and spoons. "Start serving."

Summer returned with the bowls, waiting as he ladled food into each one. He nodded, and she brought the two in her hand out to the mess deck. As soon as she appeared, the ruckus grew louder, everyone eager to eat.

The layout of the room and how the crew was sitting made it a little difficult to hand out the food, but she managed. As she distributed, she was able to meet the rest of the crew. Surprisingly, she didn't see Law.

"Summer-Chan! We're hungry! Feed us first!" Penguin shouted across the room. Shachi waved his arms in the air. She shook her head, grinning slightly.

"You'll get it when you get it!" She said, walking back into the kitchen. It took a few minutes to feed everyone; the sound of spoons hitting bowls commenced. She stood in the doorway, observing the crew as they ate. Despite how noisy and rambunctious they actually were, each one remembered their manners. Though many of them started playing poker in the middle of dinner. She grinned, though it quickly went away as her stomach grumbled loudly. She covered her midsection with a hand in an attempt to quiet the sound. A few of the men nearby heard and they looked up and laughed good-naturedly.

"Hey, girl!" She heard from the kitchen, causing her to frown. Throughout making dinner, he didn't call her by her name once. She had assumed Law had told him her name beforehand, though she wasn't sure now. Turning around, she headed back inside.

"My name is…"

"I know who you are, Red Hunter." He said, interrupting her before she could finish. His glare was as menacing as they came. She was about to retort but closed her mouth instead. She realized she had no right to get angry at him for being suspicious of her. As an unknown person onboard, he had every right to be wary around her.

'He has a point.' She thought to herself.

He pointed to a bowl on the counter. "That there is yours. Eat quickly." He turned away, picking up a tray of food from the counter and walked out the door. She wondered briefly who it was for before realizing that she hadn't seen Law at all during the course of dinner. Finding a spoon, she started eating. Once again, she thought the soup a little bland, but still delicious. Already, men were finishing up their meals. It bugged Summer to see them leave the dirty dishes on the tables.

Eventually, the crew filtered out of the mess deck and out into the hallways, presumably to head off to sleep. The quiet inside the room was strange after listening to the endless noise during dinner. Having finished her own meal, she began collecting the bowls and spoons left out by the crew. The sink rapidly filled up with dishes, and Summer realized that it would most likely be her job to clean it all anyway.

Sighing tiredly, she found a sponge and soap and set to work. The old cook didn't come in once as she washed the dishes, which she found strange. She shook her head, forgetting about it. Her hands pruned up after awhile. The pile of clean dishes rose, but despite her hard work, the dirty pile never seemed to shrink.

Her exhaustion was beginning to eat at her; it grew steadily harder to keep her eyes open and she yawned multiple times. There were still dishes to be done, so she kept on. Summer wasn't sure how much time had passed before the dishes were all clean. The piles rose high and dozens of spoons sat on a towel to dry, though she couldn't remember doing most of them.

She fell asleep before she realized it.

* * *

 

Casper came back with the tray of food, an hour later. He resigned himself to the chore of dishes with a tired sigh.

'I'm getting too old for this.' He thought as his back popped into place as he walked. The mess deck was dark, but the kitchen lights were still on. Frowning, he internally scolded the girl for leaving them on. His steps were the only sound as he stepped through the kitchen door.

What he saw almost made him drop the tray. The counter was piled high with cleaned dishes. On the floor, the girl sat asleep with her back against the cabinets. Her head was rested on her shoulder and she didn't wake up when he walked in.

He stared disbelieving at her, impressed that she had managed to accomplish so much while he was gone. The girl had literally worked herself to sleep, it seemed. Looking back and forth from the pile of dishes to the sleeping girl, Casper put the tray on the counter. Picking her up bridal style, he carefully walked her back to the infirmary.

Something he didn't expect to feel swelled up in his chest: guilt. He had just come back from his talk with the captain asking him to task her to another job. He had adamantly argued that she was doing more harm than good being his assistant, stating that she blatantly rebelled against his instructions right from the get-go.

Now, as he carried her to the infirmary, he regretted every word he had said. While it was still true that he still didn't trust her fully, he now saw that she was a harder worker than he could have ever imagined. She had passion, which he admired. One wouldn't just clean an entire kitchen of dishes just for the fun of it. He didn't like just anyone in his kitchen either. They had to earn their way there.

Upon arriving at the double doors, he pushed one open quietly with his foot. He saw the captain look up from his medical books at his arrival. The doctor's eyebrows rose at the sight of the old cook carrying his new crewmember.

"And what is this?" Law asked with great interest. He stood as they approached. The cook stopped and sighed.

"She worked herself to sleep cleaning almost the entire kitchen's dishes." Law indicated for the cook to give her to him, which he gladly did. The weight was starting to get to his arms. The girl groaned in her sleep as she was handed between men. Law carefully brought her to the infirmary bed, mentally reminding himself to figure out her sleeping situation soon. Once he ensured she was comfortable, he turned back to the older man.

"You could have left her in the kitchen." He said, the cook nodded.

"I could've." Law crossed his arms, interested to see this strange turn of events after their previous conversation.

"But you didn't."

The cook looked at the girl now sleeping soundly on the bed. He didn't say anything at first, thinking carefully over his words. The captain watched his face with interest.

"I've seen her in a new light. I believed her to be lazy and stubborn, but she showed me different, much as I might hate to admit it." Now both men were watching as the blonde woman slept, both thinking over their own thoughts.

"She certainly did." The captain said, a hand on his chin in deep thought. It fell silent after that, only disturbed by Summer's even breathing and the machines attached to Luffy. Law turned to the cook.

"Perhaps you should head to sleep. It's been a long night." The cook nodded and turned to leave. He stopped and faced him.

"I'd like her to continue helping me in the kitchen. She proved she's a hard worker." Law smirked by his cook's decision.

"I think that would be best." The cook nodded again and silently slipped through the door. The doctor turned his attention back to the sleeping woman, walking over to her side. He moved a piece of hair from her face, studying how peaceful she appeared while asleep. In the morning, it would once again take on that mask of indifference.

"For one so adamant about leaving this crew, you don't seem to put up much of a fight." He said aloud.

"If you want me to do the dirty work for you, it won't be cheap." Viper said into the Den Den Mushi. His easy grin was replaced with a twisted smile as he thought of the money he could make from this deal.

"Oh I assure you, you will be payed handsomely for your services." The voice on the other end replied. Viper crossed his feet on top of his desk, leaning back further into his padded chair.

"I want half beforehand and the rest when I deliver her to you." A laugh resounded from the other end, and Viper's grin fell slightly.

"Now, now. Don't be so hasty. Half is quite a sum. I will send a third beforehand and the rest after." Viper thought it over a moment, weighing his chance of bargaining with the man. Deciding that this was the best deal he was going to get he grinned again.

"Alright, we have a deal. Where should I bring her once I have her?" He stood up, walking over to the window in his quarters and looking up at the sky.

"Take her to Punk Hazard as soon as she is captured. I don't want any unnecessary attention being paid to this operation. Quickly and quietly is what I want." The idea made Viper laugh.

"She won't exactly come quietly, you know." He stuck a finger in his ear in an attempt to scratch an itch.

"Well, that's not my problem, now is it? Figure something out." Viper scowled.

"Just have the money sent and I'll set my course." He was about to hang up when the man spoke again.

"And Viper? I know you're known for your brutality, but I want her alive and well when she gets here. Any unnecessary damage will not be tolerated. If she dies or is unusable to me, the deal is off." The call ended, leaving Viper to seethe on his end. Angrily, he slammed the phone onto the table, shattering it to pieces.


	8. Lady Bears and Men Haters

"Why do they keep staring at us like that?" Bepo asked, cocking his head to the side as he watched the women of the female island serve food to the crew. The bear looked to Summer who sat next to him. She shrugged, taking a bite of a bright orange fruit native to the island. It was surprisingly good.

"They live their whole lives without seeing men, so an entire crew of them probably makes em' a little edgy." She too had noticed the cautious and hostile glares from the island's inhabitants, though she was never a recipient. Assuming it was because she was female, she didn't bother worrying about it much.

"It's probably nothing to worry about Bepo." She said as she stretched her stiff body. Spending a few days doing nothing wasn't as great as she had thought it to be. Her body was growing accustomed to inactivity and it was starting to take its toll. Grimacing, she cradled her not-fully-healed ankle after feeling a sharp throb of pain.

The bear held a paw to his chin in thought and Summer took the opportunity to glance around. The submarine was docked on the eastern-most shore of Amazon Lily. A few of the crew looked over the little yellow ship to check for repairs. Most of them sat around on the grassy slope eating the food the natives had brought for them, conversing happily.

The island was nice enough; large, green vegetation and a thick forest were all she could see so far, even the little beach was beautiful.

'I wonder what the rest of the island is like…'

The inhabitants weren't so cheerful. Many were curious, of course, but a few angry words from the more senior women (who wanted nothing to do with the Heart Pirates or any man for that matter) made them hush up and retreat from the crew. At first it had been a small form of entertainment-watching as the men ran in fear as the warriors pulled out their bows or shouted spiteful words at them- but it quickly lost its appeal and began to irritate her.

Continuing her lazy search, she spotted Law in the middle of the clearing with Jinbe, talking quietly. Though he looked relaxed as he calmly ate his meal, Summer could see the tension in his muscles as he glanced around at the warrior women, even from this distance. True, no violence had arisen, but the uneasy truce between the two parties could break from the smallest move from either side. Before she had time to think over it any more, Summer felt a soft tap on her shoulder.

"Summer?" She turned her head to Bepo. His features were very serious when he looked at her and she became a little uneasy.

'Please, don't ask about me. I don't want to lie to you.'

"Do you know any female bears?" He asked. She relaxed instantly, relieved that his question wasn't pertaining to her past. She fought the urge to laugh, knowing that, to Bepo, this was a very serious matter. Miraculously maintaining a straight face, she smiled.

"I'm sorry, Bepo, I don't." He nodded sadly, a small frown on his face. The sight was so adorable she put her hands on her cheeks.

'So cute…'

"Ok." He looked away in silent dejection, a moment later turning to her again. "Do you think this island has female bears?"

'Aww…poor thing.'

"No, I don't think so. Maybe at the next island." He looked depressed again. She patted his head to cheer him up like it always did, and he closed his eyes in happiness. Scratching behind his ear, the way she knew he loved, she quickly turned his miserable state into one of absolute bliss. She couldn't help but smile widely. Her attention was focused on Bepo, so Summer didn't notice three women approach the tree they sat under.

"You!" One of them said, startling her. Looking up, she saw the woman pointing down at her, a glare directed straight at her. The woman's outfit was horribly skimpy, though all of their attire appeared to be that way. Her eyes were adorned with too much makeup in Summer's opinion. Small gold earrings dangled on her ears, and her black hair was tied high on her head.

One of those who stood behind her had short, spiky green hair and a plain face. The other had long blonde tresses, reaching nearly to the small of her back. All of them carried bows and were accompanied by the strange snakes all of them seemed to own. All of them wore the extremely showy outfits. None of them were smiling. Altogether, Summer didn't like them.

"Yeah?" She asked indifferently raising an eyebrow, wondering what the women wanted with her. Next to her, Bepo eyed them suspiciously. The woman's glare intensified. The two behind her looked stern as well but at least a little friendlier.

"Why do you sail with men? Do you not know the strange and horrible illnesses one can catch from these creatures?" She gestured to the crew behind her, apparently truly bewildered by Summer's situation.

"Umm…they are exactly like you, just a different gender. You're the same species as them."

"You have been brainwashed by these vile creatures, you poor soul. Men are diseased and dangerous. I am surprised you haven't been killed yet." The woman shook her head sadly, the other two following in turn. "Why do you continue on with them?" Summer sighed at the woman's opinion.

"I sail with them because…well…I kind of have to." She said, stealing a glance at Law who still sat far away in the clearing. All of the women's eyes widened, the one who spoke glancing around at the crew in revulsion. Noting their extreme expressions she rushed to clarify. "You see, I was…"

"These savages!" The woman spit in disgust, cutting off the rest of her explanation. "Forcing you to enlist under their flag, stealing you from your home no doubt. What cruelty!"

Sighing, she mentally face palmed at the woman's assumption. Summer put her hands up to stop her.

"Umm, no actually it's not…"

"They demean you by making the beast follow you around. Has dignity no value to them?" She continued. Summer frowned, pointing an accusatory finger at the native woman.

"First of all, don't call Bepo a beast. He's my friend, so watch your damn mouth. Second, you've got it all wrong." She was so irritated with the waste of air in front of her she almost overlooked what her words actually meant. Her eyes widened slightly in realization.

'I called him friend…'

'Don't get attached.' Her more reasonable side scolded her.

The woman completely ignored Summer, instead she turned to the other two and nodded sharply. Summer sat in great confusion, wondering what the heck the women were up to. The older one turned back to her.

"Will you allow us to take you to the village? We would like to show you our way of life. Perhaps that will change your mind."

"Please come with us. It pains us to see a young woman forced to work in a world of men." The one with the long golden curls finally spoke. The woman with spiky green hair remained silent.

"Why the hell should I trust any of you?" She asked as she brought her mind back to the present, slightly annoyed they thought her life was so damned terrible without knowing anything at all.

'No one can know anything about me.'

She was tired of being nothing but information, an asset to others with twisted motives and immoral methods, tired of the questions and answers that were her life, tired of being in the dark about who she was and why everyone was so damned interested in her. That train of thinking brought her back to the conversation with a certain pirate captain. She unconsciously narrowed her eyes in anger, remembering his words.

"You will join my crew."

"And why the hell would I do that?" He shrugged her obvious anger off.

"You aren't in any position to refuse. I could kill you, if that's why you want. I'd rather not though. You interest me too much." He practically purred.

As the exchange with Law resurfaced in her mind, so did another conversation with a whole other pirate captain. One from long ago though the words were as clear as day.

"You can't kill yourself, love." He said after another of her unsuccessful attempts on her life. Holding her by the collar of her thin shirt, he brought her closer to his face. His putrid breath caused her to gag, cutting off precious air. The smirk grew wider as she struggled, feet dangling as she twisted and turned in his grasp.

"Shut up!" She spit with difficulty. "Let go!" He laughed, a low, disgusting rumble in his throat. His grin never left his damned face.

"There are people interested in you. Powerful people. They are the only ones who understand what you are. We don't want to disappoint them now, do we?"

She shook her head to clear the dark thoughts.

"Will you come with us?" The women were still waiting for an answer, staring down at her. She wasn't sure what she should do. Law wouldn't let her out of Bepo's sight, much less allow her to frolic through the thick forest with men-hating women.

'Since when did you care what he wanted?' She thought.

Looking back up, she settled her face into an indifferent mask. Nodding, she stood up and brushed the dirt off of her pants.

"Alright, show me your village." The eldest woman nodded and the four turned towards the forest.

"Summer?" She looked back at Bepo who had his head tilted and an uncertain expression. "I was given orders to watch you so I'm coming with you." She smiled at his insecurity.

"Alright you can-"

"No!" The sudden outburst from the green-haired woman made her jump in surprise, cutting off her sentence. Hard eyes glared at Bepo, she had her bow in her hands but it remained undrawn at this point. Summer had no doubt that she could have it pointed at the poor bear in less than a second.

"But the captain-"

"No." She repeated with equal heat. "No man has ever set foot on this island since the beginning of its existence. We shall not break that rule now." Summer rolled her eyes at the ridicules mindset of every inhabitant of the island. Sighing, she gave Bepo a slanted smile.

"It's alright, Bepo. I won't be gone long. I'll be fine." The bear looked away and wrung his paws together, eventually reluctantly nodding his head.

"Alright, but don't do anything dangerous. I'm supposed to be protecting you." She nodded, turning back to the forest and walked into the thick foliage with the three women.


	9. You Are Your Choices

"Bepo, where is Summer-ya?" Law walked up to his visibly nervous friend, glancing around the clearing in search of the mysterious blonde. It was getting quite late in the afternoon and Casper wanted help cooking dinner for the crew, but the girl was nowhere to be seen.

"She left with three of the island women, Captain." Narrowing his eyes in frustration, he gripped his nodachi a little tighter. Bepo must have taken this as a sign of anger on his part, and quickly lowered his head. "I'm sorry."

"I told you to keep an eye on her." Law replied sternly, not entirely angry that Bepo hadn't been able to keep her in check. In the short time that she had been onboard, Law had come to realize the girl was a sort of free spirit. Often times, he would find her wandering the submarine at odd hours of the day. Keeping her in one place seemed to be impossible and that played on Law's nerves regularly. So it came as no surprise that she had disappeared once again, though Law had hoped having Bepo be the one to watch her would perhaps make her more willing to stay put. The girl had taken quite a liking to the polar bear.

"I'm sorry, Captain. She said she wouldn't be gone long and she would keep out of trouble." Law stared at the thick forest ahead of them as if he could see Summer from here. Already, the sky was getting darker making the trees grow sinister shadows.

"How long ago was this?" The bear scrunched his face up in thought before giving a confident answer.

"About two hours ago." Sighing, he turned away from the tree line and began walking towards the clearing.

"We shouldn't expect her until morning then. Casper-ya should be making dinner at this point so come back to the ship, Bepo." He stopped and glanced back when he realized the bear wasn't following him. He raised an eyebrow in question.

Bepo looked back to the forest, then back to Law. "Are you sure she'll be alright, Captain?"

It was then that he realized how strong of a bond his first mate had with his mysterious new crewmember. Bepo made connections with people easily (a little surprisingly considering he wasn't a human himself and his extreme sensitivity.) Who he deemed a good person he would bond with quickly, but he hadn't expected the bear to feel this strongly about Summer this quickly.

'There is more to her than we may think, then.' Law nodded in response.

"Summer-ya can take care of herself. Her escape from Impel Down proves that." Law's answer seemed to ease the bear's discomfort somewhat. "We will wait for her in the morning. Come on, then. Casper-ya should be making fish tonight." The bear nodded happily.

"Aye, Captain."

The mention of fish quickly erased his dark mood and Bepo walked beside Law towards the sub with a small smile. Glancing at his friend, he couldn't help but smirk as well.

* * *

 

"Can I please wear my own clothes?" Summer asked, feeling horribly exposed in the bikini-like outfit the native women had given (or rather forced) her to wear upon their arrival at the village.

"We will not have you wearing the last vestiges of your imprisonment. You are free from their power now. Besides, those clothes were quite…foul." The blonde warrior said, who Summer had learned was named Marcia. She wrinkled her nose at the memory of the unwashed uniform.

The women had given her a tour of the village, explaining the dreadfully boring history of each building and its importance to their community. Each person they met felt the need to greet her, or shake her hand which she quickly grew annoyed of. By the time they had made it to the center of the town, she was about ready to murder someone at the mention of another 'important fact about our island's foundation.'

"We will outfit you with your own weapons while we are here." Kikyo, the eldest, said as they approached the weapons and armor shops. Summer's ears perked up at the mention of weapons. She hadn't had a weapon since she was imprisoned. Now, her hands were itching to hold one. They stand had a large variety of weaponry, though mostly bows and arrows adorned the walls.

"Ah, you must be the one who was with the pirates." Said the shopkeeper, a tiny woman who didn't look at all able to craft such weaponry. She spread her arms over the counter. "Please, take your pick."

Summer stood with a finger on her chin, eyes narrowed as she inspected the instruments of steel around her. She dismissed bows as an option, having only minimal experience with using it. Swords weren't her style, being too heavy or slow for her lithe figure and quick fighting style.

"Hmm…" Her eyes scanned back and forth. Unfortunately, she didn't find anything to her liking. She turned to the shopkeeper. "Do you have anything else? Maybe something smaller?" The woman looked around in thought.

"Let's see…Ah! I think I know what you might like." She kneeled down behind the counter and set a cloth-wrapped item in front of Summer. Removing the top layer of cloth, she revealed four well-cared-for daggers. Holding it out to Summer, she gingerly took it in her hand, a smile forming on her face. "What do you think?"

She took the time to inspect every inch of it, turning it this way and that, feeling the weight of it in her hand. She looked up in happiness. "They're perfect." The shopkeeper smiled in return.

"We don't normally use daggers, but I always keep a few just in case." Coming out from around the counter, she gestured to a nearby tree. "Why don't you try them out?"

Summer didn't need to be told twice. Quickly taking one in her hand, she threw it towards the tree, feeling satisfaction at the sound of the knife hitting home.

"Thank you, these are exactly what I want." She said after pulling the dagger from the tree trunk.

"That's what I like to hear." The shopkeeper said, smiling and waving as they left her stand. Kikyo looked at Summer strangely.

"Daggers are an odd choice of weapon. Not many would choose them."

Summer shrugged a half smile on her face as she stared down at the small weapons. "I'm used to them." None of them spoke after that, slowly walking down the main road of the village.

The houses stood close to each other, lined down the main road with other roads branching off of it. It was very organized and neat, easy to navigate.

The sky was dark at this point, surprising Summer by how much time had passed. Her stomach grumbled audibly, making her face go red from embarrassment. She almost fell over as a hand smacked her back.

"Haha! You have an appetite I see!" Marcia laughed loudly. "The great hall should be serving food now, so we will eat there."

Summer nodded and followed the women to the noisiest building in the village.

* * *

 

Casper kept looking out the window in the kitchen towards the menacing forest. Chopping the onions took longer than usual because of his worried glances. Not even the noisy banter of the men just outside that usually bothered him made him pause in irritation.

His eyes wandered yet again to the window, shifting his attention from cutting the vegetables to the space outside. Forcing himself to focus, he returned his thoughts to his work and threw the ingredients into the pot and stirred the bottom.

Serving food without the girl was slower, but the hall was considerably less noisy than it normally was. The men spoke lowly, as if not to disturb some unseen force. Even as he distributed food, Casper only received quiet 'thank you's.'

The captain didn't have any medical books to read tonight, so he sat among his crew, leaning down into his seat with his hat over his eyes. Bepo sat next to him happily munching on the fish he had received earlier.

Casper came over and placed the food in front of the captain, though he did not return to the kitchen immediately after. Law seemed to sense his continued presence and looked up with a questioning gaze.

"Yes, Casper-ya?"

"Are you entirely sure the lass will come back? After all, she didn't want to be here in the first place. Who's to say she won't just stay here?" Law lowered his hat again to cover his eyes but Casper could see the wide smirk just under the brim. He answered without hesitation.

"She'll come back."

He said nothing more and the cook took that as his cue to leave. Casper had never had any reason to doubt Law's judgment before, but he hoped to whatever god there was above that the young man was right.

* * *

 

Penguin and Shachi sat nearby, overhearing the captain's conversation with the cook. They glanced at each other.

"You think Captain's right?" Penguin asked his friend quietly. Shachi sighed, shaking his head.

"I don't know. She didn't seem to want to stay when we asked." Penguin looked away sadly.

"Yeah..." The conversation ended there, though both of them silently hoped to themselves that she would come back.

* * *

 

Summer's breathing was labored as she ran/limped through the forest. The darkness made progress difficult, as the crescent moon didn't give much illumination. Hidden brush and sharp leaves left nasty red scratches all over her body.

'Damn skimpy clothing.' She thought. At least they had allowed her to keep her boots, otherwise her feet would have been ripped to shreds by the various rocks and sticks hiding in the brush. Her ankle would have given out long ago as well.

She tried keeping the noise to a minimum, but the small sounds of rustling branches and her heavy breathing seemed incredibly loud to Summer. She didn't want to alert the warrior women of her escape, but at this point there was nothing she could do about the noise.

She had to get back to the sub. Now.

Sure, the village had been nice enough. True, the people and food were great. But never leaving again?

Oh, god no.

'Like hell I'm gonna hide here till the day I die.'

She had no idea which direction the submarine actually was, but with no reference points to go by, all she could do was pray and hope for the best.

"Dammit…" She muttered as her ankle gave another sharp pain. She really shouldn't be running, but the sub was the only place she wanted to be at that moment, much as she didn't want to admit it.

She continued to run blindly, oblivious to her surroundings at this point. She wasn't sure how much time had passed before she collapsed onto the ground in exhaustion. Her face was now covered with dirt and the bugs and wildlife would probably eat her alive before morning, but she was too tired to care.

She could have sworn that she heard a voice somewhere, but she was asleep before she could think about it anymore.

* * *

 

Law leaned against the hull of the sub, his nodachi resting on his shoulder. His eyes were directed up at the stars, lazily reflecting on their beauty. The night was peaceful, and Law found his mind wandering to other things.

The looming threat of Summer's past piqued his interest and made him wary at the same time.

"It would be wiser to stay the hell out of my past. You may not like what you find."

She had warned him plenty of times that digging up information on her was dangerous, and he began to wonder if such an action would even be worth facing these unknown risks. Law had never been as interested in something as he was with her, and he thought he knew why.

She was a complicated puzzle, one with many faces and hidden sides. Law could pick apart the secrets of any other human he met with relative ease, but he couldn't figure her out. She was constantly changing, it seemed. Indifferent and cold one moment, then shy and kind the next. Solving her would bring a great sense of satisfaction to the pirate doctor. After all, he was never one to back out of a challenge.

A noise in the woods brought him out of his thoughts and gripped the hilt of his weapon, ready for whatever it was that was charging through the trees. It was certainly getting closer, and quickly. He couldn't see anything as the shadows made visibility impossible at this point.

A figure burst out of the trees on his right. It was human, and the woman was breathing with difficulty. He watched her stumble and fall, and Law slowly made his way over to her.

He spotted the showy clothing that all Kuja women wore and narrowed his eyes. He couldn't understand why a Kuja woman would be running around the forest in the middle of the night, but the taking of his object of interest left him with ill feelings towards the island's tribe. Something about her was familiar though and he quickly smirked, instantly relaxing his grip on his nodachi. She faced away from him, but her long blonde hair gave her away.

He stopped beside her and crouched down. Tilting his head in amusement, he chuckled lowly.

"Welcome back."


	10. Sweet Dreams and Sour Awakenings

   The small window on the infirmary door was crowded with faces trying to see inside. Shachi and Penguin pushed and shoved against each other to get a better view.

   "Get out of the way! I wanna see!" Shachi leaned closer and glared at his friend.

   "I want to see her too! I'm just as worried as you are!" Penguin pushed Shachi's face away, causing him to fall backwards.

   "I'm more worried about her than you are, idiot! I should get to see her first." Penguin tried to peer into the open space but his collar was yanked and he found himself pulled onto the ground and caught in a hold by the angry engineer.

   "No way! I'm way more worried than you could ever be! Besides, you're the one who knocked her unconscious in the first place! Who says she even wants to see you?"

   "She said she understood! I was forgiven!" The two continued to wrestle on the ground, completely forgetting that they wanted to be the first ones to see the injured girl. Bepo, who was standing passively nearby, stared calmly at the men's impromptu wrestling match in slight confusion. He really couldn't understand why they were arguing. Everyone was worried about Summer, and the noise probably wasn't good for her rest.

   Law, to the surprise of the crew, had returned from getting some fresh air with Summer in his arms. After the initial cheer of relief, they noticed the dozens of red scratches covering her small body. Instantly, that happiness had turned into worry.

   Their mother henning, as Law would have described it, was no help to Summer's recovery. He set her down on one of the infirmary beds (the same one she had used before) and immediately set to treating her injuries.

   Despite the crew's desire to see her, Law ordered them out of the infirmary on the grounds that their 'incessant noise would prevent him from working properly.' They understood that peace and quiet was important at this point. So, being the good men they all were, they retired to their own sleeping quarters for the night to wait patiently for her to awaken in the morning.

   Shachi and Penguin were not skilled at waiting patiently.

   Both men and bear looked up as the door to the infirmary swung open, nearly hitting Penguin square in the face if he hadn't have rolled away from it in time. There stood Law. A very angry Law at that. Frowning in irritation, he held his nodachi tightly in his left hand and gripped the door frame with his right. His eyes were narrowed and he said nothing.

   The engineers took on a deer-in-headlights expression, scared into silence. Bepo looked on with a blank stare.

   "I believe I told you before to keep it down." He said quietly after a long pause, the threat quite evident in his low tone. Both men nodded vigorously, scrambling to their feet and saluting hastily.

   "Aye, Captain." They said in unison. Immediately, they ran away as quietly as they could manage in the halls leaving Bepo and Law standing there alone.

   Law sighed deeply and turned back to the infirmary. He left the door open, a silent invitation for Bepo to follow. Closing the door softly behind him, the bear looked over at the sleeping girl.

   Still wearing the Kuja attire, her arms, legs, and torso were wrapped in bandages and stitches were visible along the right side of her jaw line. Her breathing was relatively normal, if not a little fast. Her expression was one of pain, not peaceful like the bear had hoped it to be. Bepo eyebrows furrowed in worry, and he turned to Law who stood beside him.

   "Will she be ok, Captain?"

   Law nodded slowly. "Yes, but she will be sore in the morning. Those scratches may become infected as well, though I cleaned them as best I could." He turned to clean his medical equipment while Bepo continued to watch Summer.

   Glancing out of the corner of his eye, Law watched Bepo as he gently laid a paw on top of Summer's head. Then the polar bear lowered his paw down to her hands, and she unconsciously held onto it in her sleep. Her painful expression cleared up and was replaced with a small smile. She hummed in quiet satisfaction.

   Law couldn't resist but smirk as he watched the interaction, too distracted to continue cleaning whatever tool he was currently holding. Summer was truly smitten with Bepo and Bepo with her. She had only been onboard the sub a week now. He chuckled as he watched her nuzzle up against the paw and her smile grew wider. Bepo was now smiling as well, happy he could help Summer relax a little. He could smell her fear easing, if only a little.

* * *

 

   "What do you mean you can't find her?" Viper hissed at the man, causing him to retreat a few feet in fright. He held his hands in front of him in protection.

   "Sir…none of our spies have reported seeing her anywhere. She's not on any of the islands." Viper's fist came down hard on his desk and the man yelped. The large pirate captain stood up from his chair and crossed the room. The man tried to back away but Viper's hand shot out and grabbed the man's neck.

   "She has to be!" He shouted, squeezing tightly. The man tried in vain to pry Viper's fingers off of him. "She can't just disappear, dammit!"

   "I…don't…know…" He tried to reply, coughing in between words. The man's vision began to fade, little white dots hovered at the corners of his eyes.

 _'I'm going to die.'_ He thought.

   Viper seemed to remember the situation and let go. The man fell to the floor gasping and coughing while Viper walked back to his desk and sat in his chair. He steepled his fingers, closing his eyes in thought.

   "How large is the area we are searching right now?" He asked several minutes later. He appeared to have regained his composure, as his voice was calm and steady. The man had gotten up from the floor at this point.

   "A 100 mile radius, sir." His throat hurt when he spoke and his voice was hoarse, but he knew not to speak about it. Angering him further would only make him more dangerous.

   Viper nodded slowly. "Increase the radius to 200 miles. I want her on my ship by the end of the week. Now leave."

   The man nodded, quickly taking his leave from the unpredictable captain behind him.

* * *

 

   "Dammit…" Summer groaned as she regained consciousness. She brought a hand to her head in an attempt to rub away the forming headache. She sniffed the air and tensed just a little.

 _'At least it's familiar.'_ She cracked open an eye and immediately closed it.

_'Stupid medical lights…'_

   "Don't move around too much or your bandages will loosen." A voice told her. She opened them again and looked to the source.

   "Liam." She said, giving a small smile in reply. She rubbed her eyes trying to see him more clearly. He sat in the stool next to the bed with a magazine in his hand. He grinned at her and closed the paper.

   "You were pretty scratched up when Captain found you. We were all worried."

   "Law found me?"

   "Yeah, it was pretty late at night when you came running through the forest like that." He stood up and walked closer, inspecting the tight bandages on her torso. Glancing down, she found she was still in the skimpy Kuja outfit. The white cloth wrapped closely to her breasts and she suddenly became very self-conscious. She covered her stomach and looked away with a blush.

   "U-um, who did my bandages?" The medic glanced up at her face, opening his mouth to answer.

   "I did."

   Summer frowned as she turned her head to the familiar voice. Law strode into the room wearing his damned smirk with his hands in his pockets. Liam straightened and waited for orders as the captain approached. Law nodded towards him.

   "You may go."

   "Aye, Captain." Liam scurried away out the door, leaving Law and a glowering Summer in the infirmary.

   The two remained silent; Law hoping she would be the first to speak and Summer praying that he would just go away. It was a battle of wits and both were evenly armed. To Law's pleasure, she broke first.

   "I swear to god, if you took off this outfit to put on the bandages-"

   "I didn't." She visibly relaxed; satisfied that she at least had some dignity left to her. However, Law continued to smirk down at her.

   "Although, I have to say that look rather suits you…" A pang of irritation shot through her as his grin grew wider.

   "Shut up!" She said crossing her arms in front of her to try to cover her chest though all it did was push her breasts closer together. She looked away so he wouldn't see her blush.

_'Damn pirate captain…'_

   He chuckled quietly before moving away to Luffy's bedside. He worked in silence while Summer stared into his back. She was sure he felt her intense gaze, but he gave no sign of it.

   "Why were you gone so long?" He asked suddenly, not turning around from his position. She frowned as she talked to his back.

   "Those Kuja idiots brought me along for the 'grand tour' of the island. It turned out to be a really boring history lesson." She grumbled, rolling her eyes.

   He turned back to look at her, his eyes hard with anger. "You were gone six hours. Explain how a tour of a village that small takes that long."

   She sighed at his insistence. "They took me around and insisted I meet every single one of them. Then they explained every important thing that ever happened to them. Which, by the way, is a ridiculously long list." Law listened intently, as if waiting for her to lie to him. "After that, they took me to get new weapons. Speaking of which, where are they?"

   Law nodded towards the side table where all four daggers rested. She released another sigh of relief.

   "Good. I was worried I had lost them."

   "So, what made you return?" He turned to face her finally, crossing his arms like hers were. She looked away.

   "They told me once I joined them I couldn't leave. They kept saying it was for my own protection, but I don't need their damn protection." She refused to look Law in the eye. "I don't need anyone's protection. I can take care of myself."

 _'No you can't.'_ She frowned at her own thoughts.

 _'You know what, little voice? You can shut the hell up now, thanks.'_ Somehow, she was able to look back up and meet his gaze.

   Law didn't say anything as he stared at her. She couldn't tell what he was thinking. There were too many emotions going through his eyes.

   "Then, what are you so afraid of?"

   He watched as her eyes became blank, but she remained silent. Her entire body became closed off, a mental defense mechanism. Their breathing and the mechanic beeps were the only sound in the room.

   His smirk returned despite his inability to get information from her. Her stubbornness wouldn't be swayed this time. There were plenty of chances for getting her to talk in the future. He walked away from her, facing away from her as he spoke.

   "You are not to leave that bed until I'm satisfied that your cuts won't become infected. I'll have someone bring you lunch a little later." Again, she didn't answer.

   He could feel her stare until he shut the door behind him.


	11. My Past Is My Future

_*16 Years Ago*_

"…Every morning you greet me

Small and white, clean and bright

You look happy to meet me!"

The children sang as they ran around the edge of the forest. They were smartly dressed, just come out of church. Most of them carried small flowers or wore them in their hair in the girls' case. They laughed as they sang, chasing each other in happy circles.

One of the boys stopped and messed up his brown hair. He kneeled down and rubbed dirt all over his face. He stood up and roared loudly.

"Roooaaarrrr! I'm the scary monster girl! I'm gonna eat you!" The children shrieked with laughter, running away from the small boy in mock fear. He chased them with clawed hands, roaring as loud as he could.

He caught one of the girls and tackled her onto the grass. "I'm gonna eat you! You're gonna die!" He shouted as he tickled her. She cried in laughter, squirming on the ground in her pale blue dress and pigtails.

Another little girl, this one much dirtier than the rest stood silently behind a nearby tree. She watched with one wide eye as she hid behind the great oak. The game they played made her sad, but she didn't have anyone to play with. They looked like they were having fun.

 _'I'm scared…'_  She thought as she watched the others play. She looked behind her at the dark forest.

 _'…but I'm lonely.'_  Working up her courage, she pushed away from the tree and stepped out into the clearing.

The kids didn't notice her at first. They were too busy laughing as the younger boy chased them and her approach was so quiet.

"U-um…hello." She said weakly. They others stopped playing at the noise and turned to look at her. The silence was thick, and the girl shifted nervously from foot to foot, her arms held behind her as she looked at her feet.

The children's' minds took in her tattered brown dress and dirty bare feet. Her blonde hair was tangled and unwashed. Large violet eyes reflected sadness and hope when she looked up at them.

"U-um…can I play too?" Her small voice asked.

That was when the screaming started.

"Aah! It's the real monster!"

"Run away!"

"She's gonna eat us!"

The girl's eyes widened as the others ran away in fear. She took a step forwards, reaching out to them.

"W-wait! Please!" The screams grew louder and the noise began to attract other people to the scene. Adults began to run towards them, but stopped when they saw her tiny figure. Their anger was plainly visible.

"Demon child! Go back to the woods where you belong!" A farmer with his pitchfork said. He slowly approached her, pointing the sharp prongs at her. She trembled in fear and stumbled backwards. The children's parents were now there, holding their young to them.

"I-I j-just wanted…to play…" She answered weakly.

"Don't lay a hand on my son, you evil creature!" One of the mothers shouted.

"I'm not a monster!" She defended weakly.

"Kill her!"

"Burn her like she burned her parents!"

The shouting grew into a riot as all the villagers soon began to join the group. Voices demanded her death, most in gruesome ways. The crowd slowly approached, pushing her back into the woods. Many of them now carried makeshift weapons ranging from long kitchen knives to tree branches found on the ground.

The girl's lip quivered as she struggled to suppress her tears. Her vision became blurry and she turned and ran back into the forest. No one followed her.

Soon the shouts of the villagers were no longer all she could hear. Her crying became louder and she sat down by a large rock. Hugging her knees to her chest, she started to wail.

_'Why do they do this to me?'_

_'Why do they hate me?'_

Her elbow and legs hurt. She looked down and saw bloody scrapes across her pale skin. The cuts were covered in dirt, which only served to make her cry harder.

She wasn't sure how long she sat there, but the sky quickly grew dark and her stomach began to rumble. She wasn't very bothered, she was always hungry. Telling herself she had to go check the little traps she had made, and that she had to wash off her dirty wounds, she looked up and sniffed a few times. Wiping her wet eyes and nose, she picked herself up and trudged towards her makeshift shelter by the pond.

Towards home.

* * *

_*Present Day*_

"Fleet Admiral Sengoku, Gekko Moriah has arrived, as per your request." The courier saluted and stood at attention in front of the great man's desk. Sengoku nodded slowly in response.

"Send him in." He replied bitterly. The young man nodded and scurried away, presumably to retrieve the Shichibukai. Sengoku rubbed his temple with one hand, sighing deeply at the thought of meeting with the Soul Stealer. He toyed with the corners of the wanted poster on his desk.

Dealing with any of the pirate Warlords was always uncomfortable to the Fleet Admiral. He hated pirates, especially the ones he himself had appointed to cooperate with the World Government. Those with the most power were never to be trusted. Pirates lived for double crossing on bargains and deals. It was inevitable part of their way of life.

The doors opened to reveal the large white-skinned man. He was frowning, obviously not pleased to be summoned into the office of the highest-sitting marine. He sauntered in and took a seat in the chair facing Sengoku.

"I don't appreciate being summoned into your damn office, Sengoku. What is it you want?" Sengoku said nothing for a moment before pushing the wanted poster towards the pirate. He looked down curiously, voicing his confusion.

"I know who she is, what about her?" Sengoku sighed once again, leaning forwards in his chair and linking his hands together with his elbows resting on the desk.

"She recently escaped from Impel Down prior to the War of the Best. Her release into the public brings great danger to the people of the world." Moriah scoffed in his chair waving his hands as if to dismiss his claim.

"I could care less about the people's safety, Sengoku. The responsibilities attached to my title mean nothing to me." Sengoku frowned, angered by the pirate's frame of mind, but he forced himself to let it go this time.

"Regardless, something must be done about her." Moriah frowned again.

"Why not call up one of your Vice-Admirals or higher-ups instead of taking up my own time and energy? I don't care what happens either way. It's none of my concern anyway."

"It damn well could be!" Sengoku said, slamming his hand down on the table. This conversation was getting him nowhere. Regaining his composure with a deep breath, he twined his fingers together once again. "The Marines don't have the resources to take her on. She is stronger than she may seem."

"What is it you want with me, Sengoku? Get to the point." Sengoku closed his eyes, giving himself one last chance to back out of his plan. Obviously, Moriah wasn't interested in what he wanted, but he would deal with that later.

"Your Kage Kage no Mi is our only weapon against her power."

"She has no devil fruit, so what do you mean? Surely you marines can take care of a little girl with a few daggers?" The Fleet Admiral shook his head slowly.

"You are underestimating her. It's not a devil fruit that gives her power, it's something else entirely, which is why we need your help."


	12. Pray The Lord Her Soul To Take

Summer jolted awake, blinking her eyes rapidly in confusion. She coughed violently from the suddenly dusty air. The entire infirmary was a wreck; a giant hole was all that was left of the ceiling and the medical equipment that had been attached to Luffy was crushed and broken. Her eyes widened.

_'Luffy…'_

The boy was gone, most likely through the gaping hole in the roof. There was no one else in the room with her.

"ACE!" She heard outside of the sub. Outside, yelling men and destruction of what she assumed was the surrounding trees filled the air. She knew Law probably wouldn't want her to leave the bed, but at this point she didn't much care. Throwing off the thin blanket covering her, she swung over and landed on her feet.

"Ah…" Her knees buckled beneath her and she fell hard onto the floor. Her limbs still weren't fully recovered from her run through the forest. Everything hurt. "Dammit…" She muttered.

Forcing herself into a kneeling position, she breathed in and out slowly, preparing for the length of floor to the door. Now that she needed to struggle to get to it, it seemed so far away. Taking one more deep breath she got on her hands and knees and began to crawl with agonizing slowness to the infirmary door.

Each stretch of her arm and lift of her legs brought pain and strained her stiff joints. Gritting her teeth, she pushed forward despite the effort it took to make it only a few feet.

What seemed to be ages later, she reached up and turned the handle, watching as the door swung open into the hallway. She continued on her knees, trying her best to ignore the now loose bandages around her knees. Again, the hallway seemed to go on forever. She cursed everything she could think of, glaring at the door such a distance away.

_'Stupid submarine…Stupid Pirates…Stupid idiot Kuja…'_

Her injured knee, now fully exposed to the floor, scraped harshly against the worn metal.

"Shit." She said under her breath. Lifting her leg so it wouldn't drag across the ground, she continued forward somewhat awkwardly.

Eventually reaching the door, she realized that the commotion outside had died down. She could no longer hear the agonized screams of Luffy as he searched for his dead brother. Making her way to the main hatch, she threw it open with great effort and glanced at her surroundings.

The clearing was a disaster; trees were cut in half and scattered around on the grass, debris from the ship lay on the shore nearby, men were knocked to the ground unconscious, at least she hoped. The alternative was not something she wanted to think about. Liam was one of them, after all.

Law stood with Jinbe, who took off into the forest immediately after she came outside. Shachi and Penguin were trying to wake those on the ground nearby and Summer made her way over to them. The pain was somewhat bearable as she reached the soft grass.

"Summer-Chan!" Penguin exclaimed as he spotted her coming closer. Shachi looked up as well and both men ran over to her side, helping her onto her feet. She nodded in appreciation, too tired to stubbornly reply that she didn't need any help.

"Are you alright?" She nodded again. Looking around, she asked the question that had been on her mind since she woke up.

"What happened?"

"Strawhat woke up in a frenzy! He blew a hole in the sub and took off into the woods. He kept screaming his brother's name." The engineers walked her over to a spot of shade and sat her down. She found her breathing was ragged after all of that work to get outside.

"That fishman went after him to calm him down." Penguin added. They sat down on either side of her.

"Is everyone alright?" She asked, scared to hear the answer. To her relief, they grinned in reply.

"Oh yeah, we're fine! It'll take more than a little roughing up to take us down." She couldn't help but smile in return, grateful that no one had died or gotten seriously injured. It then dawned on her that she had actually been the one in the most danger, being so close to him when he exploded through the ceiling of the submarine.

Bepo came wandering over to her and sat down as well. "Are you alright, Summer? Your knee is bleeding." She looked down and saw her exposed knee soaked in her blood.

"Oh, I didn't even notice." It was true. Her struggle through the halls of the submarine had been agony but she didn't even feel the blood seeping from the wound. Taking a strip of bandage from her arm, she quickly covered the bleeding limb and bound it tightly, grimacing as the pressure brought another stab of pain.

"No, that's too tight." Penguin said, taking the cloth in his hands. "Here, let me do it." He undid the bandage and rewrapped it much looser than she had tied it.

"Thank you." She said, a small smile gracing her lips. Penguin blushed and looked away, pulling his hat farther down his face.

"W-well, ya know…I-it's nothing." She chuckled quietly, amused by his shyness. She patted his leg in affection. She laughed harder when his nose began to bleed and he froze up. Shachi looked pretty depressed, watching her give such a kind treatment to his friend. She grinned as he sighed deeply.

"Thank you, both of you, for helping me." Turning to him, she held his chin in her hand and planted a small kiss on his cheek. To her delight, he froze up and began to bleed from his nose as well.

"W-wha…?" He stuttered. Both fell over in surprise and Summer brought a hand to cover her mouth. She giggled loudly, and Bepo smiled down at her. She was only messing around, but the rational side of her brain decided that now was a great time to butt in.

 _'This is a mistake. Don't become attached.'_  Internally, she frowned in anger.

_'Let me have a little fun in my life. I'm tired of being lonely.'_

Another figure came near her. She looked up into the cold eyes of a certain pirate captain. Just as she expected, he was not happy. Her smile quickly faded away.

"What, may I ask, are you doing out of bed, Summer-ya?" He practically growled. His hand gripped his nodachi tightly in what Summer knew to be restrained anger. She glared back in irritation.

"I'm fine, thanks for asking." She said sarcastically. "Well, I figured the old infirmary was a bit boring so I decided on a change of scenery." She crossed her arms, not caring that she was pushing her limit with his patience. She, frankly, hadn't liked his attitude after he had found her and she was still bitter about it. His eyes narrowed in disapproval.

"I don't appreciate your tone of voice, Miss Summer." She shrugged with lack of concern. He gestured to his two incapacitated engineers.

"And please, refrain from fraternizing with my crew like that." He turned his back on her and walked away, leaving a seething Summer behind him.

 _'Fraternizing!? Damn him…'_ Once he was out of earshot, she cursed him under her breath. Bepo placed a paw on her shoulder, a comforting gesture.

"Don't worry about the captain. He was just worried about you." She scoffed.

"Him? Worried about me? Hell would sooner freeze over than him caring for my safety." Regardless of her ill words, she instinctively patted Bepo's paw in reassurance that she was fine.

Except, she wasn't fine.

The thought of how quickly she had settled in with the Heart Pirates frightened her. She couldn't afford to care about a group of people like that. Her memories kept reminding her why.

Visions of  _his_  face appeared in her mind and she shook her head to rid of them. Once she was fully healed, she would ditch the pirate crew and continue on her quest to get stronger. She wasn't going to let him control her life out of fear any longer.

_'You will die by my hand, you bastard. Just wait and see.'_

* * *

_*Marine Headquarters*_

"Her body possesses two souls."

Sengoku watched as Moriah's expression turned into one of confusion.

"How is that possible? I've had nothing to do with this girl." He crossed his arms defensively, as if the Fleet Admiral were accusing him of being the cause.

"The second soul she possesses is that of an ancient female warrior known as Nemesis." He leaned back in his chair. "She was a fearsome fighter, excellent on the battlefield, and a strategist at heart. At least, that's what the texts from that time period described her as."

"Time period? How long ago did she live?" This story was continuing to get stranger and stranger…

"Over 350 years ago. It is said that she was betrayed by her lover. She vowed her vengeance but died soon afterwards without following through on it." Moriah shook his head.

"So what does that have to do with the girl?" Sengoku frowned at the interruption.

"You didn't let me finish. Nemesis requested a sacred ritual be done to bind her soul to the earth for eternity until she vanquished her target. Unfortunately, her lover, Iapetus, had the same thing in mind."

"It is said that she inhabits the body of a newborn every generation. When the host body perishes, she is reborn in the body of another who was conceived at the exact moment of the previous host's death."

"How do you know all of this is even true? It sounds an awful lot like a fairy tale told to kids to make them behave if you ask me." Moriah moved to stand but Sengoku held out a hand.

"I assure you everything I am telling you is the truth. Just bear with me." The soul stealer reluctantly sat down again, sighing in frustration. This little story was taking an awfully long time.

"We know the cycle exists because it is described in the Poneglyphs." Sengoku could see the question forming in the larger man's eyes and answered it before he could ask. "We also know she currently resides in the Red Hunter because her power was unleashed on a small island's village when the girl was born. Hundreds were killed, the girl's parents included. Most of the village went down in flames."

"Why wasn't she killed when the people realized it was the newborn?" Sengoku sighed as well, this time in exhaustion. The time was really slipping away.

"The girl had an older sister, Madelyn, who survived the destruction. At the time, she didn't know that her sister was the one who had caused the incident, so the two hid in the woods to escape the village's anger."

"It took several years for the girl to figure it out. There are reports that the Red Hunter killed Madelyn when she found out, but we can't be certain at this point."

"The girl became old enough to fend for herself in the forest. When she was 17, she took to the seas as a bandit. We eventually caught her and locked her in Impel Down in hopes of keeping her alive for as long as possible to keep Nemesis locked away from the world."

"Now that she's escaped, the soul will continue to look for her target. This poses a great danger to the public."

"Is the girl able to control this power?" The Shichibukai asked curiously, stroking his chin in thought. The Fleet Admiral shook his head.

"No. As far as we know, she doesn't even know about Nemisis' soul inside of her. We have no idea what triggers her emergence either." The Fleet Admiral finished, looking to Moriah in anticipation.

The man's interest was certainly piqued. Having such a soul in his collection may well be worth the trouble of finding her. Of warrior of such prowess was sure to be feared once again in the flesh. He could feel the Fleet Admiral's gaze on him and he grinned back at him.

"So, you want me to find the girl and rip this warrior's soul right out of her? That I can do." Sengoku narrowed his eyes.

"You are to destroy Nemisis' soul completely. She is too dangerous to be kept on the earth any longer. Her vendetta against Iapetus is bound to cause collateral damage. Do I make myself clear?" Moriah glared at this. He stood up swiftly.

"I will find the girl and take this warrior's soul, but what I do with it is my own business. It's pretty clear I'm the only one who can help you, so either I receive her soul as payment or you can continue to watch as she wreaks havoc in the world."

The Fleet Admiral was visibly upset by this, breathing hard and closing his eyes tightly, but he skillfully mastered his emotions with a deep breath. Frowning deeply, he opened his eyes and reluctantly nodded.

"Fine. Just get rid of her."

All he got in response was the slamming of his office door.


	13. What Is Love?

They were leaving. The last of the supplies had been brought aboard. Repairs on the sub had been done and double checked, and then triple checked. Once Shachi and Penguin were satisfied that the integrity of the hull would last them the rest of their journey, they gave the all clear to set sail. No one waited on the shore to send them off, which came as no surprise.

Once again, Summer found herself stuck in the same damned infirmary bed with orders to stay there unless she wanted any further injuries. Once again, she was wrapped in fresh bandages and told not to move. She begrudgingly stayed put, knowing that her body would suffer long term consequences if she continued to push herself. Even if there was a good reason, she wasn't happy with it.

The descent into the ocean was rather bumpy, but Liam, who stayed in the infirmary to keep her company, explained that this was normal. It was unsettling to Summer, who felt like the entire vessel would break apart or something while they were underwater. The instruments on the metal side tables rattled loudly and the medical light above her swayed from side to side. She found herself gripping the sides of the bed tighter than necessary, but couldn't find it in her to let go.

Liam caught this and chuckled lightly. He reached out a laid a hand on her arm. "Don't worry, you'll get used to it soon enough." The sub gave another lurch as it went deeper into the ocean, and she gritted her teeth.

"I don't understand how anyone can get used to this."

Eventually, the rough sailing passed and the sub returned to normal. Summer relaxed after that, letting go of the railing and silently thankful for Liam's presence beside her.

The room was enveloped in a comfortable silence.

"I'm glad you came back to us, you know." Liam scratched the back of his head bashfully, not meeting her eyes. "I was a little worried you would leave the crew."

His admission caught her off guard. She blinked in surprise. "What?"

"I-I think…that you belong here, you know. We all…all of us…want you to stay." His blush intensified, his cheek now a deep red.

She looked away. The thought of leaving had crossed her mind on multiple occasions. Several times she had convinced herself to stay on the island. Thinking back now, the choice was obvious, but back then, the idea had certainly sounded tempting.

Out of the corner of her eye she glanced at Liam's uncertain expression, as if afraid his very words would break her. She hadn't thought her absence would have such a strong effect on the little crew.

_'They grew attached to you and now there's nothing you can do about it. Do you want them to get hurt?'_

It was then she realized that at this point, whether she stayed or left them behind, she would be causing them pain. That was the last thing that she wanted to do. Her eyes began to tear up, and surprisingly, she didn't care. Somewhere in the back of her mind, her conscious screamed at her to uphold her promise, but she found herself exhausted, worn, spent.

_'I've done it again…'_

Memories of her past came to her unbidden.

The dead faces of Mr. Porter and his family staring at her in blame, her sister's dead body at the feet of  _Him_ , all of the villages she had unknowingly brought destruction to by her presence alone. They all remained in her mind.

Summer struggled to choke back a sob and Liam immediately apologized.

"H-hey, no don't cry. I'm sorry if I said something…you didn't want to hear. I'll just...go now." He sighed at his own stupidity.

 _'Stop hurting other people!'_ Summer mentally yelled at herself. She grabbed his jumpsuit sleeve when he made to stand and walk away. He turned back with pain written on his face. Pain she had, yet again, caused.

"N-no, it's not your fault. I just…" A sob escaped her and she found herself crying for the first time in as long as she could remember. She scrubbed her face in vain to stop the wetness. "Please, I just...don't want to hurt you..."

He frowned slightly in confusion. "What are you talking about? You're not hurting us." She nodded vehemently.

"Y-yes I am…I made you all worry about me a-and…and-"He grabbed hold of her shoulders and gently shook her.

"Summer, you aren't hurting us. We love having you onboard. Did you honestly think we blamed you for our worry?" She nodded again, sniffing loudly. He shook his head and chuckled.

"Why are you laughing?" She asked miserably. He gently brought her hands out of her face and she felt her head being tilted up. His rough thumb wiped away the tears on her face. Her wide eyes took in his smiling face.

"It's just funny that you think you're causing us all pain. That's pretty stupid to think, baka." He poked her in the head. She blinked rapidly to stop crying, using the bandages on her arms to dry her face.

In the short week she had known Liam, he had changed so much. He was no longer the frightened gentleman she had first met. He voiced his opinions much more often, and Summer found herself thankful for the change.

"No one blames you for anything, we want you to stay. How many times do I have to say it?" She stared wide eyed at his smiling face.

For once, her conscious had nothing to say on the matter.

_'Wants me to stay…'_

_'Don't blame me…'_

_'Love…'_

Love.

* * *

Summer didn't answer Liam, instead she stared blankly out in front of her, her lips barely parted. He frowned in concern, waving a hand in front of her face.

"Uh…Summer?" She didn't respond, didn't even blink. Liam looked around, unsure of how to fix her.

"Summer?" No response. He resorted to waiting it out and hoping she would eventually snap out of it.

* * *

_'Love?'_

_'Love does not exist.'_

_'Then what does?'_

_'Jealousy. Lust. Hatred.'_

_'I don't see any of that in this crew.'_

_'These are the things beneath the surface, beneath what can be detected. But they are there. You know they are.'_

_'No.'_

_'Humans are vicious creatures, devoid of sympathy. Remember, years ago?'_

_'Don't talk about it! Of course I remember!'_

_'Do not trust them.'_

_'Liam was telling the truth. I know he was!'_

_'Humans lie, decieve, manipulate. It is their nature.'_

_'I don't believe that.'_

* * *

Liam reluctantly picked up a nearby magazine to pass the time. As he read he glanced up at Summer occasionally, noting that her expression never changed.

 _'Should I get the captain?'_ He shook his head.

Her breathing was normal and he saw no outward signs of a seizure. People couldn't slip into a coma sitting up with their eyes open, and she certainly hadn't died. Shrugging in resignation, he went back to his reading.

* * *

_'You can't tell them.'_

_'He said love. They're different.'_

_'If it even does exist, how do you know it is real love?'_

_'His eyes told me. I can trust them.'_

_'No. You will only kill them in the end.'_

_'I'm tired of running.'_

_'Running is how you survive.'_

_'I don't want to survive! I want to live!'_

_'You must not let them distract you.'_

_'They can help me become stronger.'_

_'Don't do it.'_

_'To hell with you!'_

_'This is a mistake.'_

_'I've made my decision.'_

_'Decisions co_ _me at a price. Are you willing to pay it?'_

* * *

Liam quickly looked up when movement caught his eye. Her head turned to him and he saw the clarity return to her bright eyes. "L-Liam?" She asked. He raised an eyebrow and nodded slowly, not sure what exactly what to do.

"Ah!" He said in surprise as she launched forward and wrapped her arms around him, squeezing so tight he struggled to breathe. "S-Summer?" He asked hesitantly.

Her response was to squeeze tighter. "Thank you." He heard her whisper. He grinned and wrapped his own arms around her small figure.

* * *

Law stood in the navigation room with Bepo, directing the course away from that damned island of women. The polar bear occasionally adjusted a dial or twisted a knob. Satisfied that he was no longer needed, he returned to his own quarters.

Closing the door behind him, he leaned his nodachi against the wall and placed his hat on the table with his medical books. The stack was outrageously large; numerous were open to random pages and his notes were scattered about the table. He didn't mind the clutter, so he left it as it was.

Running a hand through his unruly hair, he stretched his stiff limbs. He stretched out on his bed, the soft, black comforter a welcome relief to his tired body. His rest was short-lived, however, as a knock at his door brought a glare to his face.

"Come in." He called, silently cursing whoever lay behind the door. To his surprise, Liam entered a moment later. The medic looked a little flustered and Law recalled he had been assigned to watch Summer. Something told him she had been the cause of it. For some reason, he didn't like the ideas that came with that train of thought. He stood up from the bed and raised an eyebrow in question.

"Captain, Summer asked to speak with you. She said it was important." Law's irritation faded in an instant.

"Thank you. You may go now." Liam nodded and he exited the room. Law smirked widely, knowing full well what it was the girl wanted to talk about. He grabbed his hat, leaving his sword behind deciding that now she was willing to talk he didn't want to scare her back into silence. He had waited long enough already.

He wanted answers.


	14. His Deal With The Devil

_*Summer's POV*_

Summer sat cross-legged on the infirmary bed, breathing deeply to calm her heartbeat down. The room seemed unusually cold and unfriendly. Summer covered her eyes with her hands in frustration.

_'Oh god, what am I doing?'_

She was about to tell the second most sadistic individual she had ever met about her past and she was even telling herself not to back out of it! Sure, a part of her told her this was a shitty idea, but deep down she was tired of the endless fear of the unknown and of that bastard she was hunting-and being hunted by.

_'I will kill you. But I have to get stronger.'_

Forcing her hands away from her face, she schooled her features and closed her eyes in a sort of meditation. Her fingers unconsciously kneaded her temple, trying to work the growing headache out of her mind. It would do no good to become worked up before Law even got in the room.

_'Calm down, just calm down. You can do this…'_

The infirmary door opened softly and her eyes snapped open. She stared as the Surgeon of Death strode into the room, hands in his pockets and that damned smirk on his face. His grin was met with her frown, and she crossed her arms in front of her without realizing it. Law grabbed the stool next to the bed, sitting in it backwards comfortably. He rested his chin on his crossed arms, his grin widening. His silence was insufferable.

"Don't act all high and mighty. Your damn ego is big enough already." Summer said with a scowl to which he chuckled darkly.

"You are the one who called me here, Miss Summer. I do believe that is my victory." She looked away.

"Whatever, can we just get this over with?" She could feel his smirk widen without having to look.

"I'm waiting on you, Miss Summer." She could hear the satisfaction in his voice, but suddenly she was too nervous to really care. A deep sigh escaped her and her shoulders sagged a little in defeat.

"Where to begin?" She muttered.

"Most tales start at the beginning." He commented, earning a glare from the girl.

"You aren't making this any easier, you know." His amused expression never changed.

"I'm aware." She shook her head, sighing in disbelief.

_'Asshole…'_

"Why don't you just ask me specific questions. I'll answer what I can."

"Fair enough. You are 23 years old, correct?"

"Yes."

"Where were you born?" She closed her eyes in sorrow, mentally preparing for the onslaught of memories to begin.

* * *

_*Law's POV*_

"Terra Nova* Island. It's somewhere on the Grand Line." Her eyes hesitantly opened again and her hands rubbed her arms, whether to warm her cold limbs or because it was a nervous reaction Law couldn't be sure.

"Any siblings?" At his question, her violet eyes took on a faraway look, as if she was envisioning a memory.

"A sister, but she's dead. She died when I was six." Her eyes were still averted, but Law continued anyway.

"What of your parents?" Once again, she shook her head.

"I don't know exactly." He frowned in irritation.

"What do you mean?" She looked up at him again.

"I never met them; I don't know who they are, I don't even know their names." That faraway look returned and Law came to the conclusion that this girl's past was not a happy one. Whatever it was that she had experienced had obviously affected her and remained with her all her life.

 _'Just like me...'_ Law broke out of his thoughts when she continued speaking.

"All I know is that they died in some horrible incident or something. Nobody really talked about it much."

He couldn't see how any more information down that path would be beneficial at the moment, so he moved onto more pressing topics. Law finally asked the question that had been bothering him since Bepo told him of her fears. "Who are you running from?"

She hesitated to answer, probably doubting whether telling him was still a good idea, but she sucked in a breath after the prolonged silence.

"His name is Viper. He's the captain of the Serpent Pirates."

Law frowned. He didn't recognize the name, but from her fear of him, he assumed the man was powerful. Summer's dazed expression quickly turned to one of pure hatred. "He's a bastard to the very core, worse than you, believe it or not." His frown deepened but he kept his anger in check. He would get back at her for the comment at a later time.

"And how did you find yourself entangled with him?" He wasn't surprised to find her scowl deepen and the fists sitting on her legs clench tighter.

"When I was seven, I left Terra Nova. All I wanted to do was get away so I was pretty reckless. At the first island I landed on, I ran out of food. I resorted to thieving and of all the people to steal from it was him.

"At first, he dismissed me with a punch to the face. But for some reason, the next second he was looking at me really weird and ordering his crew to take me. I still don't know why he did." She shook her head sadly.

Law noticed the unease seemed to be slowly giving way to what he identified as relief, as if breaking her silence was a physical reprieve. Her breathing was easier. There were no hesitations in her answers anymore and he could see the glisten of unshed tears in her eyes. The hidden emotions she tried to keep away from the world's eyes.

"At first it almost seemed like a blessing. I had food and a place to be for the time I sailed with them, but then they took me to this crazy doctor on some island. He did lots of experiments and kept me there for a long time. I'm not sure how long I really stayed. I would be given back to Viper several times, then returned to the lab. Viper was payed everytime I was taken back."

"Who was this doctor?" Law asked thinking that perhaps, despite the apparent improbability, he could get a hold of whatever file contained her medical records. He had already come to the conclusion that what she said would not provide him with enough information to sate his growing curiosity.

To his disappointment, she shook her head in irritation. "I don't know. It was so long ago and I never really cared to ask for his damn name. I remember the cold though. It was so damn cold." A shiver visibly went down her spine. She calmed herself down with a deep breath. "It was after that that I started to attempt escaping from Viper."

"How many times did you try?" She shrugged, deeming it unimportant.

"Maybe...12 or 13 times. I never counted."

He sighed tiredly, changing the subject to something more telling.

"How did you end up in Impel Down?" He watched her shift uncomfortably and unconsciously he shifted as well. He really didn't know why.

"It was after one time I had managed to escape from Viper. I was in hiding on Orchard Island and I was ambushed by a whole fleet of marines. There was no way I could escape and they captured me." Her head tilted in thought. "But I still managed to hide all my belongings before they took me. As far as I know, it's still there." A sigh escaped her mouth. "Ah well, it's all the way in the New World."

"Hmm…" Law hummed in thought. He rubbed his goatee with a hand, eyes narrowed as he mulled over her words. Something hadn't sounded right.

"I would think a year in Impel Down would halt any pursuit this Viper was making. Are you entirely sure he's still looking for you?"

For the first time in their entire conversation, Summer looked him directly in the eyes. What he saw there was vengeful intent, determined and dangerous. Her eyes, usually a brilliant violet hue, were now clouded with cold gray. Her timidness disappeared. The nervous young woman that had been there before had changed into a cold, heartless, killing machine right before his eyes.

And he kind of liked it.

"He'll always be after me. He said it himself many years ago. 'As long as my little gem is hidden, I will be alive to seek it out.' That's what he said to me after he found me during one of my escape attempts." His eyes narrowed as a thought quickly formed and began to take shape in his mind. There was a silence as he finished forming his idea internally.

"I assume you wish to become stronger in an effort to take his life?" With a raised eyebrow, she shortly nodded her head.

His smirk returned as Law thought of a new negotiation for the young woman in front of him.

"I will help you to become stronger on my submarine and assist in killing this Viper person." He said resolutely. Her brows furrowed in anger.

"I don't need your-" He held up a hand, cutting her off.

"It is quite obvious you need my help, Miss Summer. Taking on this venture alone has not proved successful in the past if your words are correct. If it were possible to do alone, he would already be dead." She closed her mouth in anger, silenced by the evident truth to his words. Her eyes narrowed as she began to think it over.

"There's always a catch. What is it you get out of this deal?" His grin widened at her question.

"You will remain with my crew even after Viper is defeated and allow me to perform a full examination on you."

Her arms crossed her chest and she lowered her head in silence. Law waited as she looked at his proposition from all angles in deep patience. He knew she would take the deal eventually. She needed only to recognize it herself.

"It all depends on how badly you want this Viper man dead. So the question is, what would you be willing to do to achieve it?" He asked. Her deadly serious face looked up to him.

"Anything." She half whispered. Law shifted to a more comfortable position on the chair and raised his eyebrows.

"Do we have a deal, then?"

* * *

_*Summer's POV*_

Summer's eyes roamed around the room without seeing anything. This was only because she was not searching the room, but her mind. The pirate captain's proposition wasn't ideal, in fact she didn't know if the handcuff of permanent residence aboard the little yellow vessel would appeal to her. The same reason was why she had not considered Amazon Lily as an option before.

Law's examination didn't sound very appealing either. She hated anything to do with hospitals; needles especially. The thought of anyone inspecting every inch of her being was chilling to begin with. The added fact that he was the sadistic Surgeon of Death didn't do much to help matters. Who knew what his little 'examination' would consist of?

But the opportunity to finally get her revenge was all too tempting. Her hands twitched in excitement at the thought of his blood coating her weapons and his head severed from his body. Oh, the joy she would feel when he was finally dead by her own two hands! She had to clench her hands tighter to keep her emotions under control.

' _What are you willing to risk to have him dead?'_

It was then that she realized she hadn't answered Law very truthfully.

_'Will I risk anything?'_

No.

_'I will risk everything...'_

She then remembered that Law was still waiting for an answer. Despite the situation and the not-so-great deal she was being given, a small smile graced her lips.

"Yes, we have a deal."


	15. New Beginnings

"No! Impossible! You must be cheating!" A half naked Shachi shouted, knocking his chair over in the process, as Bepo showed the table his hand of a Royal flush. Penguin, equally unclothed, furiously threw his measly pair of sixes down onto the table in a flurry of cards, just as angry as his best friend. They stood fuming at the bear who watched innocently at their violent outburst.

"Sorry…" The bear said in apology, his head hanging low. Both men sweat dropped at the bear's depressing state.

"Ah! So easily defeated!" They said in unison.

"Hey, don't yell at Bepo." Summer ordered sternly, sitting next to the polar bear as she revealed a flush of her own. Both men fell to the floor at her cards, their faces darkening with depression.

"Not fair…"

"How is it possible?" They mumbled into the metal floor. The surrounding crewmembers who had been watching the impromptu game of poker laughed wholeheartedly at the defeated engineers. One of the mechanics for the engine room, Toby, patted Summer none too gently on the back.

"You're one hell of a poker player, Summer-chan!" Summer coughed discreetly as she gained her breath back. She turned and gave the man a timid smile.

Being officially 'inducted' into the crew had really changed Summer's experience on the little sub. Men more openly greeted her in the hallways and invited her into their entertainment. She had yet to really get used to the kindness and caring nature of everyone aboard. Nonetheless, Summer felt a weight fall off her shoulders at each wild antic the crew performed, such as the sudden poker game she found herself playing.

_"Ah! Summer-chan! Come play a game with us! You've played poker before, right?" Penguin shouted, waving at her from across the mess hall. Shachi beamed up at his friend._

_"Oi, maybe a game of strip poker?" Shachi suggested quietly to his friend. Both men's faces took on a daydream-ish look as they envisioned the possible outcomes of such a game. Bepo, who was sitting across from them, scrunched his face up in confusion._

_"Why do you want to play a game of strip poker? You'll lose all your clothes." The bear said innocently. Both men angrily turned on the bear._

_"Shut up! You wouldn't understand!" They shouted. Summer had wandered over to the loud group of pirates by this time._

_"I've played poker before." She smiled hesitantly, still unaccustomed to being fully part of the crew. Penguin closed his eyes as he smiled widely._

_"The thing is, us Heart Pirates only play strip poker." Shachi nodded vehemently beside him._

_"That's right! We can't just change to a normal game all of a sudden!" Summer furrowed her brows._

_"You only play strip poker? How strange." She said quietly._

_"So, if you want to be a fully fledged member of this pirate crew, you've gotta play a game at least once! Why not get it out of the way?" Penguin desperately tried to convince her to play, raising his eyebrows expectantly. She seemed torn._

_"Well…I guess one game wouldn't hurt. I don't know all the different rules attached to strip poker so you might have to teach me a little bit." She said, sitting down next to the polar bear, his face still scrunched in thought. He was still wondering why the two had lied and said they always played strip poker. They never played anything other than the classic game. He assumed that this time something was different. The only difference from usual was…He perked up as he had a thought. Suddenly, his confused expression cleared up, and he smacked his fist into his paw._

_"Ah! You want to play strip poker so Summer-chan will be naked!" The engineers glared with obvious fury at the first mate._

_"Quiet you! Not another word!" They seethed. Summer, surprisingly, was chuckling at their antics. By this time, she was getting used to the two engineers' shocked expressions on their faces were entertaining as well._

_"So, that's why you want to play. Alright, I can't back away from a challenge. I'll warn you though, I'm experienced with games of card so I'm not gonna go easy."_

_"How about teams? You and Bepo versus me and Penguin?" Shachi asked. Grinning, Summer nodded her head._

_The cards were then dealt to each player._

Catcalls erupted from the surrounding crew as the two engineers finally rose from their position on the floor. They gave each other one more miserable glance and then proceeded to take off their pants. Standing only in their underwear, the crew laughed good-naturedly at the two defeated card players.

Summer grinned evilly as she watched her conquest, gathering the cards back into the deck. The engineers sweat dropped.

_'Just as heartless as Captain…'_

Suddenly, the door to the mess hall opened and a curious Law stepped into the room. He frowned in confusion at the sight of his two undressed engineers and the gathered crowd. His gaze swept over the cards in Summer's hands and his frowned turned into a smirk.

"Shachi, Penguin." The two friends looked up in hope at their captain, obviously praying he would order the crew to quit fooling around and get back to work, anything to shorten the embarrassment of their loss.

"You've never been good at poker. Why even try?" He turned away with a dark chuckle, leaving the two lying on the floor to mumble in defeat.

"Captain's so heartless…"

"So cruel…"

"Oi! Clear out! We'll be startin' dinner shortly!" Casper shouted as the kitchen door opened. He gestured to Summer to come with him. She organized the cards, got up quickly and made her way over.

"Alright, we're makin' a beef stroganoff, so get out the pots and saucepans. Hurry now." He said, dashing off to prepare a side dish.

Summer threw on her apron and hastily tied her hair back out of her face. She quickly washed her hands in the sink and turned to the cupboards that she was so familiar with now.

_'Familiar…That's something new.'_

With her life of always being on the run and constant hiding, familiar didn't seem possible to her. Yet, as she held the tarnished sauce pan in her hand, a warm feeling developed in her chest and spread through her whole body. The sensation brought a wide smile to her face.

_'Maybe things will be better…'_

"Oi! Quit your daydreamin' and get to cookin'!" Casper gently hit his fist on her head. Shaking it to wake herself up from her thoughts, she began to prepare dinner.

* * *

Shachi finished putting on the rest of his clothing, watching as Penguin did the same next to him. The two were in their quarters, released from the embarrassing scene in the mess deck by the pitying crew.

"Who knew Summer-chan would be so good at cards." Penguin commented, to which his friend nodded.

"Yeah." The two were left to their thoughts and a silence hung over the small bedroom.

"Hey…" Shachi started after a few minutes silence. Penguin looked at him in anticipation. "Did it seem to you that Summer-chan was…I don't know…happier than she has been?" He shook his head in frustration. "No, happy isn't the right word, it's…I don't know what it is, but you know what I mean, right?"

Penguin nodded slowly in thought. "She feels…safe…I think."

"Yeah, that's it!"

"So, do you think she'll stay from now on?" Penguin asked quietly, looking at his friend in seriousness. Shachi thought about it for awhile.

_"I don't think I'll be around long enough to know."_

He smiled at his friend. "Yeah, I think so."

* * *

Casper glanced over at the girl as she silently worked. He took in the faint smile that touched her lips and grinned slightly himself. Whatever the girl was thinking of, it sure made her happy.

The captain had explained to him the girl's past a few days before. Since then, one could say he became rather protective of her, stepping in when he deemed things were getting a little too out of hand around her. Like she was the daughter he never had.

 _'She deserves to be happy.'_  He focused back on the raw meat before him.

* * *

Summer walked in exhaustion to her quarters, struggling to keep her eyes open. Dinner had lasted longer than usual, as every crewmember seemed to want to recount the events that had happened before dinner. Summer, of course, was required to do the retelling. The hallways felt long but comfortable to her as she slowly made her way, coaxing her into her room.

_'My room...'_

She smiled weakly in her spent state, enjoying the return of that warm feeling from earlier. Her arms unconsciously wrapped themselves around her middle, squeezing tightly in an effort to keep the feeling with her forever.

Law had arranged a room for her after their deal, saying sternly that she took up too much space in his infirmary. Summer didn't mind the insult in his words as she had been too busy gazing at her room in wonder.

She reached her door in the darkened hallway, a tired hand slowly reaching for the door.

Upon entering, she felt the same amazement she had when she first looked at it.

The room was small. A plain bed and desk, along with a drawer and a few shelves, furnished the room. It was painted the default tan. It was smaller than any of the other men's rooms since it had been converted from a storage room. It had no personality.

Summer loved it.

A room of her own was a foreign thought. Where other children had warm beds and playrooms, she had trees and caves. Bugs and snakes. Darkness and the cold. Having a whole room in her possesion was quite possibly the greatest gift she had ever been given. Law's infuriating smirk entered her mind.

 _'Not that I would tell him that...'_  Telling the man something like that would probably just inflate his already ridiculessly large ego. She shook her head to get rid of him from her mind. She returned her thoughts to her room.

All she had to do was make it feel lived in, loved, cared for. At first sight, she was already imagining what a few adjustments and personal items could do to the bland room.

It was then that she noticed she was just standing in the doorway, looking at the room instead of falling into sleep on the bed (which was much more comfortable than the infirmary ones anyway.)

Padding her way over to the bed, she dropped on top unceremoniously. Not caring that she was fully clothed, she fell asleep almost instantly.

Her dreams were quite pleasant that night.


	16. Silence Is Golden

_*One Week Later*_

The Heart Pirates looked around the shore of the island in confusion. Nothing but grassy fields and mosquitoes surrounded them. The island had a spring climate, much to the crew's relief. After moaning about the submarine being too hot, they were welcomed with a cool breeze and open spaces. But despite the appreciated change in atmosphere, this still posed a problem. Their supplies were running low. And there was no town in sight.

"Umm…I know the map says it's supposed to be just up ahead but, are you sure there's a city around here, Bepo?" Shachi asked, glancing over at the bear in question. Bepo furrowed his brows, raising his head and taking a long sniff of the air. He nodded.

"I can smell people and lots of buildings. It's just up here." He pointed down the dusty path leading away from the shore. It disappeared in the tall grass. Summer switched her gaze from the polar bear to Law who stood away from the group of pirates. He stared towards wherever this town was supposed to be, his eyes narrowed either in suspicion or anger. Though, if one didn't know any better, he was always angry.

"Hmm…" He hummed. After another moment staring, he suddenly turned to the men standing on the beach. "All of you have a list of supplies you are responsible for. Find them quickly and return to the sub immediately."

The men around her nodded and set out down the worn path, talking quietly to each other casually as they walked. Summer began to follow but was stopped by Law's sharp voice.

"Miss Summer." She froze mid-step and unconsciously frowned. She half turned towards him, raising an eyebrow in question. His face held no amusement.

"You will accompany me in finding medical books, if possible." His eyes were hard, locking with hers as if daring her to defy him. His intensity left her too confused to argue, and she silently nodded her head.

Law glanced at Bepo, who was watching him carefully. Once Law began walking away, Bepo and Summer fell into step a few feet behind him.

The scenery didn't change at all, and what she first thought as a pleasant countryside began to seem like a washed-out background. The tall, wheat-colored grass did nothing than attract the infuriating bugs that now seemed to love to attack Summer. Shaking her head angrily, she scowled at the small creatures.

Focusing her attention to Law's back, she looked back on the way he seemed to freeze up when they set on the island. The thought got her thinking and she turned to Bepo.

"What's his problem?" She asked in a low voice, pointing to the sadistic pirate. Bepo looked at him as well, hesitating to answer.

"He doesn't like this island. There's something…off about it." She frowned, stepping over a large rock embedded in the dusty dirt.

"Something off? Like what?" Bepo opened his mouth but was cut off by Law's sharp reply.

"It's too quiet." He said, not turning around to look at them. Summer focused on the atmosphere around her. To her surprise, there was no sound other than the soft caress of the wind on the grass. However, she was still confused.

"How is that off? We're in a field."

"A city generates a lot of noise. We are supposed to be close to one, so the absence of such noise is rather odd." The path took a sharp left and Summer could see the rest of the crew had stopped on the path ahead of them, staring at something. When she could fully see, she stopped as well.

Before them, just as the map had stated, lay a town. It was quite large, their position a few hundred feet away giving them a view of its development. The buildings were all built in an older style from light wood, and lanterns hung from several posts out on the dirt street. People could be seen milling about the street, the men in light clothing and the women in sundresses, toting children along. Nothing seemed out of place. Except for one thing.

It was silent.

Despite the number of people walking around, not one of them uttered a word. The men passed by without even a glance. Even the children were noiseless, obediently walking alongside their equally quiet mothers.

Law pushed forward to the front of the group of pirates, his eyes still narrowed. Summer could see his knuckles go white white as his grip on his sword tightened. She stepped up beside him, still gazing at the town.

"What the hell is going on?" She muttered, intimidated by the bizarre silence. Law slowly shook his head. Sighing, he began to walk towards the town and everyone reluctantly followed.

"Something ain't right with this place, man…" One of the men whispered behind her. She had to agree.

_'What kind of place is this?'_

* * *

Upon entering the edge of the town, the people looked at the men with disinterest. They went about their business as if the sight of an entire pirate crew and a polar bear were an everyday occurrence. Sure, this was the Grand Line, but was it really that normal?

Penguin branched off from the group and approached a woman with her child. He stopped a polite distance away, aware that his status as a pirate made others nervous.

"Excuse me, miss…" As soon as the words had left his mouth, the woman's eyes widened and she scurried away, tugging harshly at the boy's arm. They fled into a nearby building and Penguin was left standing on the street. He jogged back to the group.

"I don't know what that was about." He rubbed his head in confusion. Shachi appeared beside him.

"I told you, women are repulsed by you." He smacked his friend on the head with his fist. Scowling, he turned to face him, holding up his fist.

"Oh yeah? Well-"

"Penguin."

At the sound of his name, he looked up to see Law staring at him and shake his head slightly. The engineer instantly quieted down, stuffing his hands in his pockets in shame. He kicked at a loose rock by his feet.

"Sorry…" He muttered. Law turned back to survey the town, glancing around at the people nearby. It seemed their presence wasn't what scared them but their words, though Penguin's had been innocent enough. The pirate captain hummed in thought.

Summer stood nearby, also inspecting the town. An idea struck her, and she walked over to a sandy-haired middle-aged man with a mustache. Using her knowledge of sign language, she signed the words: 'Do-you-understand-me?'

The man frowned in confusion and walked away quickly. She tried again with an older woman a few feet away, but got the same reaction.

 _'I'll take that as a no…'_ She sighed and returned to the group. Law gave her a questioning look.

"I thought that maybe since spoken words made them nervous, speaking in sign language would work. But I guess they don't understand it."

"You know sign language?" She shrugged and nodded in confirmation. He nodded slowly, turning over this new piece of information. His attention was turned away from her when he felt a tug on his sleeve. A young man stood there, glancing around in nervousness and shifting from foot to foot. Law raised an eyebrow.

"Can you help us?" The man quickly looked away and pointed to a house on the right. It was small and built much like the other structures in the town were. He started towards it and gestured for them to follow. The crew began to move forward but was stopped by Law's order.

"All of you, wait here."

They nodded silently, realizing that Law didn't want to put them in danger from a possible trap. Though it irked Summer to no end, she crossed her arms and waited with the rest of the men as Law followed the man into the house.

* * *

Upon entering the small house, Law noticed how plain it was. The room was bare of anything personal, furnished only with basic furniture and functional contraptions. This man was obviously either very poor or this was the culture of the island.

The man scurried around and straightened a few items before turning to Law. He wasn't quite as nervous as before, but still wrung his hands together.

"I guess you're wondering why everyone is so silent, right?" The man spoke almost in a whisper. At Law's nod, he continued. "The Governor Tobias decreed that any utterance in public was to be considered a disturbance of the peace and be punishable by death. Anyone caught speaking in public is immediately carried away by the his guards. It's like that for the whole island.

"The only places we are allowed to talk are indoors, but we really are supposed to speak quietly. Oh, I'm Henry by the way."

"That sounds quite troublesome." Law said with disinterest. To be honest, he could care less about the man's name, or the island's strange law, he only found it troublesome because it got in  _his_  way. He crossed his arms and frowned.

"I assume there is a market here." Henry nodded.

"You'll have to communicate without speaking, like show them a list or something." He glanced out a nearby window, though according to him speaking inside was legal. It seemed he scared easily.

"One more thing. How long does it take for a log pose to set?"

"Four hours. Umm…if that's all, I suggest you leave. If your crew is caught talking, the governor will find out." Law turned his back on him and was already on his way out. He half opened the door and paused.

"My crew can take care of themselves. Worry about yourself." He closed the door harshly behind him.

* * *

Summer tapped her foot impatiently on the ground, scowling at the clouds that floated lazily by.

_'I hate waiting…'_

The two engineers had the same problem. They sat on a nearby rock, getting up and walking around in agitation several times before sitting back down again. Even watching the two started to get Summer irritated.

Bepo, however, was the perfect picture of the word calm. He sat on the ground and closed his eyes in wait. A small smile rested on his face. The difference in attitudes was laughable.

A loud bang brought all their attention to the mysterious man's house where Law calmly exited and walked towards them. He held up a hand at their obvious questions.

"This island has a law that anyone caught talking in public is put to death. I don't fully understand either, but I want to get off this island as soon as possible. Gather what supplies you can and meet back at the sub within four hours. Show them the list and they will negotiate with you."

The men nodded and set off down the road while somehow keeping silent. Now that the odd situation had been cleared up and no obvious danger presented itself, everyone had visibly relaxed. The usually boisterous crew was now succeeding in restraining themselves enough to not get in trouble. Summer smirked to herself.

_'Miracles do happen.'_

"Miss Summer, are you thinking of something crude, perhaps?" Law's amused question broke her from her thoughts. His trademark smirk in place, he stared at her surprised face. She was about to defend herself, saying that she was doing  _no_  such thing, but he chuckled to himself and walked away before she could utter a word. She was left to stew in her dark thoughts behind him.

He paused and turned to look at her. "I hope you haven't forgotten that you are to help me find medical books." He began walking again.

Begrudgingly, she followed. She cursed him under her breath the entire way to the bookstore.

* * *

The man stared at the pirate crew as they split up and headed off in different direction, presumably to gather supplies. The girl and the bear stayed with the captain, much to his irritation. He hadn't gotten a good look at her face since the captain was blocking his view of her, but he was definitely suspicious.

His post on the bakery's roof gave him plenty of cover and a view of the whole street. His eyes locked onto the blonde, watching like a hawk as she walked towards him.

She stepped slightly to the left, revealing her to his full view. His eyes widened as his suspicion was confirmed. His stare pierced her figure until the trio entered the small bookstore further up the road. He hastily pulled out his snail phone and dialed the number he had been told to call in such a case as this. It was answered immediately.

"You better have something good to tell me…" The gravelly voice threatened. The man smirked, relaxing comfortably against the wooden beams of the roof.

"I found her."


	17. A Sultry Season of Sergio

"Man, this sucks." Shachi whispered to Penguin, casually glancing around for any guards. Fortunately, only citizens seemed to be around them, going about their business and pretending as if the pirates didn't even exist. It was strange, intentionally and casually being ignored as they were. It wasn't the sort of treatment they were used to.

"Yeah, I know what you mean. But at least we got the supplies quickly." They glanced at the bag of provisions and medical supplies they managed to find, checking to make sure they hadn't dropped anything.

"What the hell kinda place is this, anyway?" They walked towards the submarine, swatting at flies that pestered them. His friend shook his head, unsure of how to answer.

"I don't know, but I have a feeling trouble's gonna find us if we don't leave soon." Shachi said, adjusting his hat over his head as the heat persisted.

* * *

Liam wandered the market, taking in the town's culture with an critical eye.

"They certainly leave nothing to waste…" He muttered, noticing how plain and bare the market actually was.

The tents and stall set up around the street used up as little space and resources as possible. The only sides of the tents that had a flap was the one facing the sun, used solely for the purpose of protection from the heat and intense light. Stalls were bare wood without any fancy carvings or designs. They were naturally small, leaving the vendors to utilize as much space as possible in the little they occupied.

It then struck Liam how very drab it all was. There were no colors. The buildings being made up of the lighter wood just added to the already washed-out landscape and colorless streets. Liam found himself constantly squinting as he surveyed around him in distaste.

He continued to search the tents, somehow ending up in front of a jewelry merchant's stall. He wasn't even really sure how. An older woman who seemed aged beyond her years gave him a toothy smile, gesturing to the small trinkets in front of her.

Not wanting to be rude, he courteously looked over the various bracelets and necklaces laid before him. They ranged in style, from seashell to shiny stone, small gems to polished pearls. For a market in a town so...sparse, they did have a rather large selection.

One in particular caught his eye in the far left corner of the wood counter. A necklace made of polished black stone. It was carved in the shape of a bird, its wings outstretched as if in flight. The edges were lined in silver and it hung on a silver chain. It was quite beautiful.

He suddenly had the urge to buy it and his eyes widened in shock. Without really thinking, he pointed at the necklace and the vendor wrote on a piece of paper how much it cost. Only 600 beli for a piece that detailed, it was quite a bargain.

His body seemed to move on its own as he pulled out the money from his pocket. The older woman bowed in thanks and handed over the necklace. Walking off, he looked at it more closely.

He hadn't noticed before, but the bird had two tiny, dark purple gems set where the eyes were supposed to be. He looked at it in confusion. What had urged him to buy it in the first place?

' _Summer...'_

He shook his head to try to dispel his thoughts, denying that he had even thought about it in the first place. Why did he even think of her, anyway? He had only met her a few weeks ago. Besides, why would she go for a guy like him? There were much better looking guys on the sub, and maybe she wasn't even interested in…

He angrily slapped his cheek with a growl, forcing his mind back to reality. "Stop thinking about her." He muttered to himself. Taking the list of supplies he was i charge of, he set off looking for merchants.

Trying to convince himself he just didn't want to waste money, he slipped the necklace gently into his pocket.

* * *

Summer leaned against the bookstore shelf, raising her eyebrows at the title of the trashy romance novel in her hands.

' _A Sultry Season of Sergio? Really? Who comes up with these things?'_  Tossing it back onto the shelf, she lazily picked up another one next to it.

"I thought I said to help look for  _medical_ books, Miss Summer?" Law's irritated voice floated to her from the shelf over. Standing on her tiptoes to see over the top of the shelf, she flashed Law an equally irritated expression.

"You know I don't know a damn thing about medicine or fixing people. How the hell am I supposed to help you find a book on it?" He sighed heavily but said nothing, so she returned to browsing through the romance books.

Glancing around, she noticed Bepo staring blankly out the window. She wandered over to him and tried to find what he was looking at.

"What's the matter, Bepo?" She asked after not finding anything. He glanced at her before continuing his search. His face was pretty serious, causing her to start to worry just a little. Bepo wasn't serious unless something was wrong.

"This town doesn't feel right. None of the citizens show interest in us but I feel like we're being watched." She furrowed her eyebrows. Now that he mentioned it, she recalled this weird feeling at the back of her neck as they had walked down the street. Heading back to Law, she noticed he was sitting on the ground intently studying the page of a book.

"Bepo says someone's watching us." He didn't look up from the page.

"I know." She gave him a shocked expression.

"Well, aren't we gonna do something?"

"No." He turned to the next page. She put her hands on her hips.

"And why the hell not? What if they mean us harm?" He finally looked up from the book and gave her a cold look.

"With this town as strange and uptight as it is, I don't want to cause much of a commotion. Looking for the stalker would only raise our chances of causing trouble. Besides," He said, returning to the book in his hands. "The log pose sets in less than two hours. Once we submerge, there's nothing they could do." His answer was met with a sigh.

"I guess…" She nodded hesitantly. A thought struck her then. "What if it's Viper?" She almost whispered. He glanced up at her.

"Do you have reason to believe he knows we are here?"

"No, but-"

"Do you doubt my crew's ability to fight that much?" Her eyes widened.

"No! That's not what I meant."

"Then quit worrying." Sighing, she walked away again.

Summer decided to wander the shelves a bit longer, sending cautious glances out the window every so often, just in case. She had lost interest in the romance section long ago and now scanned the mystery shelves for anything interesting. After finding nothing there either, she once again returned to the romance section out of pure boredom.

* * *

' _No...'_  Law thought as he shut another medical book. Grabbing one close by, he flipped the pages open and scanned the content.

' _No...'_  Not finding what he was looking for, he shut the book and set it aside as well. Running his hand through his hair, he glanced at the large pile of books he had already eliminated as purchases.

"None of these are what I need." Bepo had wandered over by him and sat down at some point, deciding to stay by his captain rather than worry about the stalker they now had. He wasn't sure where Summer had gone. Probably looking through the cheesy romances she seemed to secretly enjoy.

He sighed, resigning himself to the fact that the town's only bookstore didn't have the material he wanted. Standing up, he stretched out his muscles that now ached from sitting for too long. Looking around, he spotted Summer by the romance section. Gesturing for Bepo to follow, he went towards her.

"Hey, Law?" He raised an eyebrow at her question. He watched as her face scrunched up in confusion and concentration at whatever she was reading. "What does cardiovascular mean?"

"It means having to do with the respiratory system, like breathing. Why?" She glanced up before showing him the book in her hands.

"Well, I read it in this book." Taking it, Law saw it was a medical book focusing on the aspects of the heart. "I found it in the romance section earlier. It must have been put there by mistake."

He glanced through the pages briefly, smirking in approval after scanning a few. This was exactly what he was looking for.

"I'm pleasantly surprised, Miss Summer." He said as he made his way towards the door. Bepo and a very confused Summer followed him.

"Surprised at what?"

"Your usefulness." He wasn't looking, but he could feel her scowl behind him.

"Hey, aren't you going to pay for that?" She asked. His grin widened. She rolled her eyes but didn't stop him.

"Oh, I see. Trafalgar Law is too much of a "badass" to pay for a measly book. I get it. Whatever, do what you want." Her sarcastic attitude reminded him so much of his own twisted personality. He also didn't miss the fact that she had secretly taken one of those romance novels off the shelf before and now held it down by her thigh as they walked out.

' _You certainly provide great entertainment, Miss Summer...'_


	18. Reconnaissance

Law, Bepo, and Summer met up with most of the crew at the sub after 'buying' the medical book from the bookstore. Most of the men spent their time lounging around near the shore, reading magazines or dealing out cards. Summer had jokingly offered a game of strip poker, to which all the engineers hastily declined.

The log pose didn't set for another few hours, leaving the blonde girl struggling to find something to do. Law had retreated into the sub to look over his 'purchase' while Bepo went off to sit beside the sub's hull as it offered some protection from the sun. Summer sat next to him in her boredom.

"Well, now what?" She asked the polar bear, who was sniffing the air experimentally. His ears perked every which way, most likely hearing things that she as a human couldn't. He tilted his head towards the town.

"We still have to wait for everyone to get back, and the log pose hasn't set yet. We should just wait here for awhile." She crossed her legs and rested her elbow on top of her knee. Propping her chin in her hand, she sighed deeply.

"But that's so booorring." The bear lowered his head in depression.

"I'm sorry." He mumbled. She patted his furry arm in comfort.

"Don't apologize. You're probably right, but that doesn't mean I have to like it." She grumbled. The two sat in silence for awhile; Bepo still gazing towards the town and Summer quietly enjoying the gentle spring breeze. After a prolonged pause, Summer glanced curiously at the bear.

"Are we still being watched?" He shook his head.

"No, not since we left the bookstore. But something still doesn't feel right. I just don't know what." She didn't say anything after that, leaving Bepo to his own thoughts as she fought with her own.

Summer lazily glanced around at the crew, remembering her conversation with the captain earlier that day.

" _What if it's Viper?" She half-whispered._

" _Do you have reason to believe he knows we are here?"_

" _No, but-"_

" _Do you doubt my crew's ability to fight that much?" Her eyes widened._

" _No! That's not what I meant!"_

" _Then quit worrying."_

She hoped what Law had said was true, that she wouldn't have to worry about their safety if things went to hell. No, not if,  _when._  She was now sure that her dark past would catch up with her eventually, it was just a matter of time. She just hoped that she would be strong enough when that time came.

As she looked around at the carefree little crew around her, she smiled.

" _Is everyone alright?" She asked, and was greeted by the two engineers' cocky grins._

" _Oh yeah, we're fine! It'll take more than a little roughing up to take us down."_

Her grin widened when she spotted the two friends arguing over which of their hats were better suited to pick up girls. A wrestling match began right before her very eyes.

' _They're so happy...'_  She thought.

Her gaze swung left where Casper stood leaning on the sub, slightly away from the rest of the crew. Despite his cold attitude and rough exterior, he really was a caring person. Even from this distance, she could pick up the traces of a smile on his face as he seemingly supervised the relaxing men.

She brought her knees up to her chest and hugged them to her. Spreading her hands out in front of her, she found herself unable to look away from them. She studied her hands, partially calloused and dry from her years of rough living and imprisonment. She closed her eyes and clenched her fists, fighting back the tears that began to build.

' _I wonder...'_

Opening her eyes, she looked to see Penguin and Shachi calling to her, gesturing her to go to them. They were both smiling.

"Summer-chan! We need your opinion!"

"I need you to tell Penguin that my hat is so much cooler than his!" Shachi shouted to which his friend pushed his face in the sand.

"Baka! Summer-chan knows that my hat is way more appealing than  _yours._ " They began to argue again.

Summer smiled a small smile, getting up from her position slowly and making her way over.

' _Is it really possible…'_

A few men called out a greeting to her and offered friendly smiles as she passed. Her heart soared at each one, sadly wondering how many of those she had ever received in her life. Too few to remember.

She approached the two troublemaking engineers, who smiled broadly up at her. She smiled genuinely for the first time all day.

' _...That I can be as happy as them?'_

* * *

Bepo's gaze wouldn't leave the town. There was something in the air, a foul stench, that he couldn't put a name to. It continued to spread over the area towards the north, and gradually wafted closer. By now, all of the crew had returned and joined the relaxing men on the shore. Supplies had been brought onboard and secured, now all they waited for was the log pose. Personally, Bepo thought it couldn't set soon enough.

The bear thought back to when Summer had been seated next to him. He could smell her ever-present fear, most likely from the unknown stalker from earlier. But there had also been sorrow, and longing. When Shachi and Penguin had called her over, she seemed to cheer up a bit more, as a wave of happiness had joined the other emotions, eventually overwhelming them and becoming most prominent.

He was happy that she was happy, she deserved a little bit of it.

There is was again, that stench. It was stronger, and closer. Bepo started to get a little nervous, not sure whether the strange smell brought with it a danger to his crewmates. Not wanting to raise a false alarm, he calmly stood up and walked aboard the submarine.

The inside was stiflingly hot and he wondered briefly how the captain could stand the temperatures inside for so long, but concluded that he could tolerate it to a larger degree because of his lack of fur.

Walking to the door to his quarters, he gently rapped on the metal and waited for Law's low 'Come in.' Upon entering, he found his hat-less captain comfortably situated in his chair with a mug of coffee in his hand and his new medical book propped up on his knee. Not wanting to beat around the bush, he spoke before Law could question why he was here.

"Something's coming closer to us from the town's direction. It doesn't smell friendly and it covers a large area."

Law didn't answer immediately. "When does the log pose set?"

"We still have twenty minutes, Captain." At the news, Law gently set down his mug and stood, picking up his sword and placing his hat on his head.

"It covers a large area?" He questioned. Bepo frowned slightly.

"There are many people associated with it. They all smell the same, and they don't smell good." The captain nodded and led Bepo back outside where the crew was.

* * *

Law stood behind the sub's railing and spoke down to his crew. "Men, there is a large number of people coming towards us so get ready for a possible fight." At the sound of his words, men scrambled to attention and grabbed for their weapons. Bepo watched as Summer's eyes widened and she bolted into the submarine, probably in search of her daggers. Law only spared her a small glance, instead focusing his attention towards the north of the island. From his high position, he could see dust being kicked up from something, and it was quickly getting closer.

His eyes narrowed as he judged the distance and the speed at which they were moving. Recalling Bepo's answer before, he scowled. "They'll reach us before the log pose sets. We'll have to fight." At this, he unsheathed his nodachi and held it easily in his grasp.

A shout of surprise from the crew below caused Law to look up. A few figures came bursting through the tall grass, carrying long swords and a few were equipped with chains. The men on the shore already armed met the enemy's weapons with their own. Swords clashed together and more men came through the tall grass.

"Room." Law muttered, raising his hand and extending his blue sphere around them, careful not to hit his own men, he swung his sword and cut several pirates in half leaving them floating around the air as they cried out in pain.

The enemy outnumbered his crew from what he saw three to one, but they were obviously poorly-skilled fighters. His men easily held them at bay and one by one sliced them down. The air was filled with cries of pain, mostly on the opposing side. Beside him, he felt a rush of air pass by and watched as Summer joined the fighting men equipped with her two daggers in hand.

He retracted his room, seeing that his crew was more than enough to handle these thugs. Instead, he watched with great interest as his female cook almost gleefully struck down the men around her.

Her movements were quick; she ducked and shied away from attack after attack, always shifting her body on the balls of her feet. The daggers slashed many torsos and necks in rapid succession. Law was actually surprised by the amount of cruelty she exhibited while she fought, choosing exposed and vulnerable parts of the body as her targets. Her grin would widen fractionally when her daggers embedded themselves in a man's exposed neck. She would give a short laugh when she lunged forward to finish a man off, ending his life by driving her weapon deep into his heart.

The dark doctor felt a smirk appear on his face as he saw the cold enjoyment in her eyes. She stabbed and cut men down one after another, all the while smiling unnervingly as her victims fell before her. She was graceful, her long blonde hair swaying with every movement and step she took. Her body was now thoroughly coated in blood, but she didn't seem to notice.

She was beautiful.

As suddenly as they appeared, the enemy retreated on some silent signal, dashing hastily back into the tall grass. Many of Law's men went to chase after them but he stopped them with an order.

"Leave them! Get any injured into the sick bay and prepare to submerge!" Several men growled their disapproval but followed his orders anyway. No one disobeyed the captain. Not even Summer, who was now panting heavily but helping Liam lift one man with a large cut down his thigh.

Bepo made to head back into the sub but the captain stopped him with a raised hand. "Bring one of the corpses into the operation room. I want to examine him." Bepo nodded and moved back towards the shore, picked up one of the bodies, and brought him inside with him.

Law was the last one inside, taking one more glance at the tall grass concealing their enemy before closing the hatch door behind him.

* * *

Summer helped Liam bring Nate, one of the engine room technicians, into the infirmary. He grimaced and grunted in pain with every step they took, the rapidly diving submarine not helping in the slightest, but he made it to the examination table without too much effort. There were several other men in better or worse condition. The less serious wounds were located farther into the room, with the high priority injuries closer to the door.

Minutes later, Law pushed through the double doors and quickly got to work tending to his crew. Liam was quick to assist and Summer was left to step back and watch. Her non-existent medical knowledge would do more harm than good in this situation and she was smart enough to know when to let the experts do their job.

"Miss Summer, I believe Casper-ya will be preparing a meal for the crew. Please wash up and go assist him." She nodded and hurried off to the showers to clean the blood off of her body.

Thankfully, most of the men had either gone to the engine rooms to run the sub or were in the infirmary taking care of wounds, so the showers were left all to Summer. She showered quickly, covering herself with the towel and rushed off to her room to change clothes. Throwing on a uniform that she had been given, she hurried off to the kitchen in search of the old cook. He was chopping up vegetables and beef in preparation of a stew and he glanced up when she walked in.

"Ah, you're here. Set to skinning those carrots, now. And be quick about it."

"Right." She pulled up her hair, washed her hands, and threw on an apron, reaching for the drawer with the peeling knives. The two worked in comfortable silence, both hoping that none of their crew mates were seriously harmed.

* * *

Several hours later, Law finished stitching up the last of the major injuries. There were more injured than he had expected, but nothing was life-threatening. Some were serious enough to constitute staying in the infirmary for further treatment the next day, but most were released shortly after being attended to by Law.

"That's the last injury, Captain." Liam said, taking the medical equipment and bringing them over to the sink to clean. Taking off his gloves, Law rubbed his eyes in exhaustion.

"Liam-ya, check the bandages to make sure they are still secure in the morning. You are relieved of duty for the time being."

"Aye, Captain." Liam said, now finished with cleaning the tools and heading out the infirmary doors.

Law felt very much in need of a shower and some sleep, but there was one more matter he wished to attend to before doing so. Washing his hands in the sink, he moved off to the very end examination table.

There lay the recovered corpse of one of the fighters. From the fatal injury to the right side of his neck, he could tell that he was one of Summer's kills. Her brutality was easily distinguishable, and he couldn't help but smirk.

Upon further inspection, he appeared to be a pirate. His dirty clothing and foul stench indicated he hadn't bathed within a reasonable amount of time prior to his death. His teeth were yellowed and rotted away, and his face bore signs of previous combat; a long scar down his jawline and through his lip.

He had no valuables on his person, no identification or otherwise distinguishable features. Until Law checked his feet.

On his ankle, he had a tattoo of a coiled snake. The image wasn't familiar to Law and he frowned in concentration. No one came to mind.

"Hmm…" He hummed, perplexed but not entirely surprised. He had a suspicion this was the work of VIper, as Summer called him. He decided it was better to be sure and he walked into the hallway to find Bepo.

* * *

After the dinner rush, Summer slumped against the counter tiredly. She wasn't looking forward to doing the dishes after all the events of the day. She still felt gross, but was too tired to take another shower. Casper came up next to her and began washing the dishes.

"I can take care of those, don't worry about it." He shook his head.

"You look worse for wear, if I do say so myself." She furrowed her eyebrows but didn't say anything. He was right after all. But that didn't mean he had to point it out. "I'll take care of the washing tonight, just go get yourself some rest."

"It's not any trouble, you've been working in here all day." She countered, but he refused to budge from the sink.

"Nonsense. Now head on off to bed. Hurry now before I change my mind." She sighed but gave him a grateful smile.

"Thank you." She said quietly, turning towards the door to head to her room. She failed to see the small smile on the old cooks face as he watched her go.

* * *

She stumbled down the hall, her eyes heavy with exhaustion. Her mind was fuzzy, so she failed to notice Bepo standing right in front of her. Bumping into his belly, she jumped back in surprise, but gave a tired smile when she realized it was him.

"Sorry, Bepo. I didn't see you there." He smiled as well, but it quickly faded from his face.

"Captain needs to see you. He's in the infirmary." Seeing the sadistic bastard that was her captain was the last thing that she wanted to do, but knowing how persistent and moody he could be, it would save her trouble if she just went to see him now. Sighing in defeat, she nodded and trudged towards the white double doors.

Upon entering she noticed Law was at the back of the room with a body on the examination table. Panic swelled up in her when she thought it was one of the crew, but it quickly dissipated when she saw the state of the clothing and the horrible stench that permeated the air, realizing it to be the body of one of the enemies.

He looked up at her entrance and beckoned her over. She debated whether this visit was even worth her time, the image of her inviting bed flashing across her mind. Curiosity won out, though and she silently approached the table.

"This is one of the attackers?" She asked, to which he nodded. He was writing something down on a clipboard and she studied his thin, tattooed fingers. The words D-E-A-T-H were inked across them, and she wondered curiously what had caused him to get them. Turning her attention back to the body, she examined him for herself.

"So, why did you want to see me?" He walked over by the man's feet and pulled up the fabric covering the ankles.

"I wanted you to see this." On the ankle, the image of a coiled snake was tattooed in black ink. The heaviness in her eyes quickly disappeared as she recognized the image. Her breathing seemed to stop, and she stared hard at the snake.

The room grew cold, and images from past tragedies threatened to flash through her mind. She closed her eyes tightly to stop them, focusing instead on breathing deeply through her nose and slow her rapid heartbeat. Once she had calmed down, she reopened her eyes and nodded.

"It's Viper's mark. I've seen it before." Law, who had been watching the girl's reaction with great interest, turned his eyes back to the body and rubbed at his chin in thought.

"If these are Viper's men, then he knows you are with us. Today's attack was most likely a way to gauge our strength. I have no doubt there will be more of these attacks." Summer nodded agreement.

"They were weak and uncoordinated. This was only a recon party. The survivors are probably reporting everything to Viper right now." She glared at the man's face, half wanting him to rise from the dead just so she would have the privilege of killing him all over again. Her hands itched to hold her weapons, and she clenched them to stop the urge.

"In that case, it seems you will have to become stronger sooner than you expected, Miss Summer." Law moved away to put the clipboard back on his desk, leaning against it with his legs crossed at the ankles. "That is, if you still wish to kill him." Her glare switched to the dark doctor.

"Of course I want him dead. He's the reason my life was so shitty in the first place." Law smirked at her angry face. She never ceased to entertain him, it seemed.

"Then, your training begins tomorrow."


	19. Training

The next day, after helping in the kitchen with Casper for breakfast, Summer was led down past the crew's quarters into a part of the sub that Penguin and Shachi hadn't shown her before. The captain had requested Liam accompany them, and he took up the rear. The halls didn't look any different, but there weren't nearly as many people walking them as the others. Law walked ahead of her, eventually stopping in front of a door on the right. He gave her an amused smirk before opening the room and allowing her to enter first.

She walked into a fully equipped training room. The metal walls were a dark blue, a stark contrast to the neon yellow that seemed to be the recurring theme around here. Large wooden poles wrapped in hard leather were set up across from her. Shifting her feet around, she found the floor to be a softer padding, probably for close combat training.

"Wow, an entire training room onboard a submarine? I'm impressed." She said.

She heard the door behind her close. Turning, she watched as the captain took up a position by the wall and Liam made his way to the center of the room. She raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

"I'm fighting Liam?" The smirk still on his face, Law nodded.

"Liam-ya specializes in close combat with short swords, similar to what you prefer." He gestured to her two daggers on her belt. Whilst he spoke, Liam took out a pair of slightly longer weapons in preparation. "Sparring with him will show me if you're actually skilled in using them. You will start when I say." She took a deep breath to control her temper. Even when he was somewhat tolerable, he said something to make him a douche.

"Alright." She said, ignoring the jab at her ability and pulling her own weapons off of her belt. Her body instinctively eased into a ready position, one dagger in each hand. Liam faced her, holding his own swords at the ready. She gave a small smile. "I'm not going to hold back, Liam."

He grinned in response. "You'll lose if you do." A matching grin struck her face. Adrenaline started working its way through her limbs at the thought of using her weapons, and she ached for Law to signal the beginning of the match.

 _'Yes, you have to win. To become stronger.'_ Some part of her that only came about when she fought reared its ugly head, begging for bloodshed. She forced herself to hold the urge down, to stamp out the danger to herself and Liam. She narrowed her eyes, the act of suppressing the feeling getting harder by the second. The wait seemed like an eternity.

"Begin."

He hadn't even finished the word when Summer sprang into action. She leapt at Liam with the force of a lion, daggers aimed straight for his heart. She was fast, but his reflexes were as well. His own short swords deflected her blows to the side, causing her to angle left of his body. His blade angled towards her body and she crouched down to avoid being sliced through the middle. Rolling away, she hung back to observe him.

He loosely held his weapons to his sides, crouched just slightly in anticipation of another attack. He suddenly ran at her, angling to the right. She caught his swipe in between both of her blades and pushed him back a few feet, causing him to stumble. She used the opportunity to try to hit his vulnerable body.

Despite being knocked off balance, he recovered faster than she had expected, and his swords clashed back against her daggers. They stood toe to toe, pushing against the other with great force.

"Not bad." Liam said, his easy grin still on his face. Her eyes narrowed at his apparent disinterest. He was better at this than she had first thought. He took a step back, causing her to stumble forward. One of his swords sliced her upper arm before she could catch it in time. She used his momentum to push herself out of his reach.

"Dammit…" She muttered, inspecting her injured limb. The cut wasn't too deep, but it might need a few stitches. Focusing back on her target, the grin was no longer on Liam's face. Instead, concern and worry replaced it. He didn't enjoy harming his own crew mates, but if it enabled them to become stronger he would do what needed to be done. Settling back into position, she waited for him to make the next move.

* * *

Law watched as Liam caught Summer's arm. A thin red line appeared and she cursed under her breath. Without hesitated, she prepared herself for the next attack.

Her fighting style was unique. She would charge in close to her target and then quickly retreat before they could retaliate. Whenever possible, should avoided prolonged contact. Looking back to the previous battle on the island, he remembered her quick movements and now connected the two together. She wouldn't waste time on one person longer than was necessary. His eyes narrowed. The only field that consisted of that kind of technique was…

An assassin.

His focus returned to the fight in time to see Summer and Liam hacking away at each other in a strange kind of graceful dance. By now their breathing was labored and the attacks were slower than before. Liam now had a cut across his cheek, directly below his eye.

He barely caught it, but something flashed across her eyes. It came and went so fast he wasn't sure if it was even there, but Summer suddenly held her ground and halted Liam's advance. She struggled to hold her own against his strength but deflected his swords to the side.

She moved in a flash, reaching behind his back and catching him in a hold before slamming him to the ground. Somehow, she had disarmed him and now held him in a strange hold simultaneously. One of his arms were across his back while the other was pinned beneath his own body. Summer sat on top of his back, effectively cutting off his movements. Somewhere along the way, she lost one of her daggers, and now placed the remaining one against Liam's neck

Law pushed off the wall and walked over to them. "I believe you have been bested, Liam-ya." The medic grinned and rested his head on the ground.

"I have to agree, Captain." Summer hastily removed herself from atop his back and held out a hand to help him up. Liam gratefully took it and hoisted himself to his feet. They were both sweaty and tired, but he couldn't help but smile. He brushed himself off and looked to Law for instructions.

The captain walked up to Summer and gripped her arm. She hissed at his tight hold. He turned her arm this way and that, examining the wound and ignoring her sounds of protest.

"You may need stitches." He concluded, releasing her arm. "But before that," He pointed towards one of the wooden poles on the other side of the room. "Hit the target from here."

She glanced at the pole, calculating the distance. Without a word, she pulled her arm back and sent the dagger flying towards the pole. It stuck against the wood with a loud clunk. Right in the middle.

"Hmm…not bad." Law hummed.

"Not bad? That's all I get?" He stared at Summer, who glared back with equal force.

"Are you proficient with a sword?" His question caught her off guard.

"I've never used one." She admitted. Pulling out the dagger from her thigh, she held it up with a shrug. "I've always used daggers. They're lighter and easier to maneuver." He frowned.

"You'll have to learn then." He heard her sigh.

"It takes years to become a master swordsman. I don't have that time." The doctor shook his head.

"You're not aiming to be a master. All we're hoping for is for you to be able to use it well enough to hold your own." She squinted her eyes in thought, silently working it over in her mind.

"Alright, fair enough." She nodded, and he turned back towards the door. Liam followed close behind him, leaving Summer in the middle of the room.

"That's enough for now, you will meet me in this room every evening for training." Her eyebrows rose up in surprise, a grin on her face.

"You're personally overseeing my training, huh? Not gonna lie, I would've thought you would leave that to someone else." He glared back.

"You are still a member of this crew. I will not tolerate weakness." He left before she could retort. She huffed in annoyance.

"The man is unbelievable!" She said, crossing her arms in annoyance. Liam looked at her with pity.

"Don't mind him. He just wants to keep the crew safe." She reluctantly nodded.

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean he has to be a dick about it…" She mumbled. To her surprise, he chuckled.

"Well, he has his own way of caring. Don't think too much of it." He motioned to the hallway outside, raising his eyebrows expectantly.

She smiled and followed him into the hall.

* * *

Law walked steadily back to his quarters, his sword relaxed against his shoulder. The men who passed by greeted him cheerfully. He nodded in return and continued walking. A small smirk rested upon his face without him realizing it.

The submarine had changed. He noticed it in the smallest things. Ever since Summer came aboard, his men were happier, more boisterous and carefree. Laughter had always been a common sound around the little sub, but now it seemed more genuine. The crew accepted her into their little family so quickly, it came as a great surprise to Law. The girl had something about her that his men seemed to naturally gravitate to.

He was content that the crew was happy with her aboard, but another part of him, the part he was never sure what exactly was thinking, didn't like it. The only way to explain it was an ache of sorts, which left him feeling frustrated.

He shook his head to stop his thoughts. I did no good to dwell on her for too long. Whenever he found himself thinking about her, it seemed harder to focus on anything else. He wasn't even sure why...or how. He frowned.

Dammit, he was still thinking about her. He sighed.

' _Get yourself together.'_

Luckily for him, Bepo was walking the opposite way down the hall. "Captain, we are sailing into an area highly populated with sea kings. Jean Bart would like you in the navigation room for instruction." Good, exactly what he needed to take his mind off that infernal woman.

"Tell him I will be there in a moment." Bepo nodded and walked away. Law intended to stop by his quarters, but if Jean Bart was asking for help, then the sea kings must pose a bigger risk than he thought. He set off immediately for the navigation room.


	20. One Man's Fantasy is Another's Agony

The smell of smoke surrounded her. She refused to open her eyes, horrified by what she may find. She crouched on the ground and covered her eyes with her hands.

"Go away…" She sobbed weakly. Her voice shook with emotion, and the tears slipped past her scrunched hands. Crying and screaming could be heard in the distance. Even if she plugged her ears, the noise wouldn't leave her.

A hand clamped over her shoulder with a near-bruising grip. She sobbed harder, afraid of the voice that she knew would be coming.

"Look around, love." When she didn't remove her hands from her eyes, the hand on her shoulder lifted and her arms were forced from her face. Her eyes opened of their own volition, and she wanted nothing more than to tear them out of her sockets.

The village. The flames. The smoke. The bodies.

It was all too much.

"Why?" She shouted, speaking to the man that now held her back. Her body quivered with barely restrained anger and desperation. She had to escape from him. Hell, she would have cut off her own arms if she had to.

Summer felt him chuckled darkly behind her, and his hands tightened their hold on her arms. She squinted through the pain, tears flowing freely down her cheeks. They dripped softly to the scorched ground below.

"It is what you are. You cannot change that. Why do you refuse to accept the fact that you are a monster, destined to destroy the world as you know it?"

"I am  _not_ a monster!" She growled, trying in vain to wrench her arms free. He laughed again, a disgusting sound, and began pushing her forwards towards the harbor.

"Shall we take a little trip then?" Her feet moved without her telling them to, and she had no choice but to be shoved down the main street. Her gaze was directed at the dirt. She couldn't bear to look at her handiwork.

His hand forced her chin up to the buildings around her. "Everything you see is your fault. It was done by your hands, your conscience." Her eyes were forced to take in the ruined town, the scattered bodies, the empty faces of those she had gotten close to. Building after building passed until they reached the boat docks. There, the pile of bodies waited for them.

Mr. Porter and his family. The little boy that played with her sometimes after he got out of church. The baker's wife, who would sneak Summer free loaves of bread when her husband wasn't looking. They all stared at her.

"Accept what you are, what you were made to do. God gave you a gift." He remarked, but she shook her head adamantly.

"Stop this!" She shouted closing her eyes again, and the hands holding her arms vanished. She was free to move once again, and she opened her eyes timidly.

Mr. Porter stood in front of her with his wife and children. She took a step back, noticing their blank, white eyes. They didn't move towards her.

"You killed us." He said, pointing an accusatory dead finger in her direction. "You lied, and you killed us."

"No! I didn't want this to happen!  _No!"_  Surrounding them was pure darkness, as thick as blood. Summer could feel it pressing her down, and all she could see were the figures of the deceased townspeople. The wife wore a blank face as she spoke.

"You stole my childrens' futures away from them. They will no longer feel happiness. They will never get to live. All because of you." The children remained silent. The tears renewed their flow and Summer covered her ears again.

"Stop it! I'm sorry! Please, stop!" They all pointed at her and stared. Just stared in silence. Somehow, this was worse than before.

She fell to her knees, sobbing uncontrollably as she rocked back and forth. "I-I never meant for this to happen! Please, leave me alone!  _I'm sorry!"_  She shouted.

" _Lies!"_ They yelled in unison at a deafening volume, and she collapsed to the ground in shock.

* * *

" _No!"_  She yelled, bolting upright in her bed. A cold sweat stuck her hair to her forehead at odd angles. Her heavy breathing was the only sound in her dark room. Listening closely, it didn't sound as if her screaming had woken anyone up. She rubbed her face in agitation and relief.

' _It was just a dream...'_

She took a deep breath to calm her rapid heartbeat, repeating her mantra in her head until she could think rationally.

She was not in the village. She was aboard Trafalgar Law's submarine with the Heart Pirates. Viper was not here. Mr. Porter and his family were not here, come back to haunt her from the dead. Slowly, after much self-convincing, she relaxed somewhat.

Involuntarily, her arms wrapped around herself to protect her from some unknown entity. As if Viper's very image in her head would come and take her away. A shuddering breath escaped her.

She glanced at the clock on the nightstand. It was 2:00 in the morning, and she still had to help with breakfast in the morning. Forcing herself to lie down again, she willed her eyes to shut and her muscles to loosen.

"Dammit…" She muttered, preparing herself for the long night ahead of her.

* * *

"Why?"

Law cracked open an eye at the distant voice that permeated his brain through the fog of sleep. Rubbing away the drowsiness, he propped himself up on one elbow and listened intently. Glancing at the clock, it was only 1:54 A.M. Cursing under his breath, he ran a hand through his hair.

Of all nights, something had to happen on one of the rare nights he actually fell asleep.

"Shit…" He muttered, but silenced when he heard the voice again.

It was Summer, made obvious by the feminine quality to the whimpers that carried quietly down the hall to his room. They weren't necessarily loud, but somehow she had woken him up.

Sitting fully up from bed, he resorted to listening for a moment. He knew there was no outside threat, so he concluded she must be having a nightmare.

"Stop this!" He frowned at the pain and fear in her voice and reluctantly swung his legs over the side of the bed. It wasn't that he was worried...He just didn't want her injuring herself again. It was troublesome. At least, that's what he told himself.

He begrudgingly made his way out the door and down the short distance of hallway that seperated his room and hers. He didn't enter, but leaned against the wall next to her door. From outside, he could hear her tossing and turning on the bed. Whatever this nightmare was of, it obviously left the girl severely distraught.

"I'm sorry...I'm sorry…" She repeated through her strangled sobs. It was a wonder no one else had woken up. No one came out into the hall asking what was wrong, though.

"No!" She shouted, and Law could tell from the sudden clarity to her voice that she had woken up. Her labored breathing filled the room behind the wall.

Law stood there a moment, just listening to her distress. Usually, such a sound he found amusing, entertaining even. But for whatever reason he found no satisfaction in her fear-filled cries. He frowned, not wanting to think about it anymore. He padded his way back to his room, his bare feet making no sound on the metal floors.

"Dammit.." He cursed under his breath so low she wouldn't have heard it, unaware that behind her door, Summer was doing the same.

* * *

"Shachi-kun…" Summer said, pouting provocatively with a finger to her cheek. Shachi's eyes bulged out of his head, noting the shorter-than-short skirt and low-neckline blouse she wore. His cheeks reddened profusely. She crawled agonizingly slow, in Shachi's opinion, over to him. Her all-fours position gave him a clear view of her barely-covered cleavage.

"U-um...S-Summer-chan...are you sure about this?" He asked, not wanting to take advantage of her. She frowned slightly, looking away from him.

"Shachi-kun...do you not like me?" She questioned, hurt evident in her voice. He waved his hands in front of him.

"Of course not! I-I just wanted to make sure…" She smiled again, crawling ever closer to him.

"Then...won't you kiss me?" She asked. His eyes became stars and he unconsciously started to drool. He held his arms out to her and held her in an embrace, his face nearing hers.

* * *

Penguin was woken up from his slumber by an arm whacking him across the face.

"Ah! What the hell?" He looked above him, to the upper bunk where his friend slept, and noted the arm dangling off the side. Glaring sleepily, Penguin pushed out of bed with a huff and reached up to hit his friend's head with his fist.

"Ah!" He yelled, startled awake. "What was that for?" He rubbed his eyes, drool still dripping from the corner of his mouth. A blush registered faintly on his cheeks, and Penguin noticed it through the darkness of the room. His eyes narrowed.

"What were you dreaming about, baka?" Shachi moaned with his face in his pillow.

"Penguin! It was the perfect dream! But you woke me up before it ended! Now I'll never get to know-!" He cut himself, realizing what he was saying.

"Never get to know what?" He asked, arms crossed over his chest. Shachi rubbed the back of his head, flustered by what he almost admitted.

"N-nothing! Nothing a-at all! Just go back to sleep."

"Hmm…" Penguin didn't seem convinced but climbed back into bed anyway. The two men were quiet after that, contimplating their own thoughts.

* * *

Law, meanwhile, lay awake in bed. He found himself unable to fall back asleep after being initially woken up, much to his irritation. Though, what irked him most was that it wasn't his raging insomnia, or even one of his medical books that kept him up.

It was her.

Her face kept appearing in his mind, smiling sweetly or scowling in anger. An image of her covered in the enemy's blood, holding her two daggers with a twisted grin on her face flashed through his mind. He shook his head violently.

"Stop." He told himself quietly. This needed to stop. It was getting ridiculous.

Unbidden, her face popped up again in his head, and he sat up in anger. Rubbing his face with both hands, he sighed deeply. This had never happened before with any of the women that had kept him company for one night flings on islands along the grand line. He had felt nothing for those women. She was no more physically appealing than them, nor would he call her his type. So why was she so different?

These strange feelings were foreign to him, and not knowing exactly what they were frustrated him beyond belief. Scowling at the image of her face in his mind, he cursed her under his breath.

"You, woman, will be the death of me."


	21. Perverted Winter

"Amazing…" Summer's eyes took in the swirling winter climate of the new island. Something akin to a blizzard danced in the air in front of them. A great burst of wind came rushing towards them, and she smiled in awe. At this point in the day, the sun sat below the horizon, creating a colorful masterpiece of the sky above. The pink and yellow hues reflected over the flawless snowy hills surrounding the small town.

The flakes of snow brushed past Summer's cheek, causing them to turn a deep red. The howling wind was a sound she was well acquainted with, but strangely, it wasn't unpleasant.

"It's been forever since we've been to a winter island." Bepo, along with most of the crew, stood next to her by the railing, beaming at the frozen land in obvious delight. The poor bear had been complaining about the heat for days now and she was happy he could finally cool off for once. That just left one other problem, though.

She shivered and wrapped her arms tighter around herself, her short breaths creating small clouds in front of her. Her black pants and army-style tank top didn't help at all in this freezing environment, and her combat boots would probably slip on every wet surface in this place. A quick glance around confirmed that the rest of the men had thick coats to protect them from the temperature and sturdy snow boots. She bit her lip, unsure of where to get some.

"Here." A hand holding a yellow hoodie was thrust into her face from her left. Startled, she looked up into the annoyed eyes of her captain. Noticing that it was the one he usually wore, she glanced at his floor-length black coat with a yellow jolly roger on the collar. She looked at the jacket suspiciously, as if it would reach out and bite her. He rolled his eyes, forcefully pushing it into her hands.

"You'll freeze if you don't wear a jacket. We'll get you one in the town, but put this on until then." He glanced down at her feet. "And some better shoes." He stalked off towards the front of the sub, leaving her with his hoodie. She felt the soft fabric in her hands, reflecting that it reminded her of Bepo.

' _So he likes soft things...'_  She smirked. For some reason, she had to restrain the urge to stick her nose in it and inhale his scent. She made a face.

' _What the hell is wrong with me?'_

Deciding she had no other option at the moment, she finally pulled it over her head and adjusted it until it fit comfortably. It was slightly big on her, but not overly so. Law was a lean individual, after all. She could still feel a faint warmth from it, probably from him wearing it earlier. The thought made her blush, but because of the cold, it went unnoticed.

' _Don't think such weird thoughts...'_ She scolded herself.

A large body moved up next to her. It was that of Jean Bart, the ex-captain turned navigator that spent the majority of his time in the control room. She had only met him a few times, during which little had been said. It became quickly apparent that he was a man of few words.

He gazed over the island with his usual neutral expression. Summer studied him briefly, but went back to surveying the island after a while. The hoodie wasn't as thick as she would have liked, and she rubbed her arms to generate more heat.

"Shouldn't you be used to the cold?" She jumped, his sudden question startling her out of her trance-like state. He almost never initiated a conversation, let alone talked to her. She shook her head slowly.

"Why would you say that?" His eyes turned onto her.

"You spent over a year in the freezing hell of Impel Down." She looked away, remembering the long time spent in that literal hell hole. The endless numb feeling and depressing thoughts assaulted her memory. She sighed and closed her eyes.

"You would think, but one doesn't get used to something like that." Without opening her eyes, she could still feel Jean Bart's intense gaze on her. When her gaze eventually met his, to her surprise, she saw in them approval and...admiration? He looked away quickly, leaving Summer to wonder if she had really seen anything at all.

* * *

After the crew had docked the submarine, Law ordered the men to arrange rooms at the inn for the night. It had a surprising vacancy, considering the large number of ships currently docked. They didn't think much on it, instead looking forward to a warm room and cups of hot chocolate.

The crew was gathered in the inn's main room, crowded around the large fireplace that took up one whole wall. Law finished talking with the innkeeper and walked over with several keys in his hand. Standing in front of them, he quickly gained their attention.

"Sleeping arrangements will be done in pairs. Our rooms are on the second floor." He began calling out names and handing out the keys to the rooms. Men began heading towards the upstairs to retire for the night. The numbers downstairs quickly diminished until there were only a handful left.

"Liam and Reid." Liam stood along with an engineer Summer recognized and took the key from Law. The two headed upstairs as well, leaving the captain, Bepo, Sachi, Penguin, and Summer.

In her head, she counted out the remaining crew, frowning when the number came up odd.

"So...do I have a room to myself?" She asked hopefully. Law held up the remaining two keys, and she began to panic.

' _I'm not gonna have to share a room with that bastard, am I?'_  She swallowed hard at the thought. Law's smirk didn't go unnoticed by her.

"On the contrary, Miss Summer, you will be sharing a room with Shachi-ya and Penguin-ya since there is an odd number of people." He handed the key to a very crimson-cheeked Penguin. Shachi was in the same state. Both men stared at the key as if it were made of gold. The intensity of their gazes started to creep her out a little.

Law turned away with Bepo following in his wake. He gave Summer one last smirk before disappearing up the steps. Inside, she was seething. She glared intensely into his retreating back.

' _Damn surgeon bastard...Shitty winter island...Goddamn cold...'_

Turning back to the two engineers, she noticed they were staring at her with fearful expressions. The next thing she knew, the two were on their knees in front of her holding the key out to her.

"Here...you can have the room, Summer-chan. We don't want to be murdered in our sleep." Shachi said, clasping his hands together. Penguin nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, we can sleep down here tonight if that will make you feel more comfortable."

Her eyes widened in shock. Waving her hands out, she pushed the key back towards them.

"No, no. It's alright. We'll work something out." Even though she hated the idea of sharing a room with two men, her conscious told her that making the two sleep on a hard floor for the night because of it was just wrong. She didn't want to be selfish and stubborn. Besides, they were her nakama now.

' _Nakama...'_  She thought, her eyes downcast. She hadn't used that word until now. It felt...nice.

Steeling herself to feel a little uncomfortable that night, she looked up with a small smile. "Come on, let's check out this room, shall we?" Picking up her duffel bag, she began walking to the floor above, smirking as the two engineers hurried to catch up with her quick steps.

* * *

"The keys says B-14." Shachi said, inspecting the key they were given. Upon reaching the door, Summer took it and opened the room up.

Inside, two queen beds were separated by a small nightstand. A large window let in the faint amount of light from outside, and Summer could see a small bathroom on the left wall by one of the beds. The trio walked in cautiously. Summer placed her hands on her hips, feeling a sigh of relief pass her lips.

"Well, at least it's not one bed." Turning to look at the two, she saw that they refused to look at her. Sighing in frustration, she walked over.

"Alright, you two. Let's get this straight." Her commanding tone of voice immediately got their attention. She pointed to the side with the window. "That will be your side. And this," She said, pointing to the side with the bathroom. "This is my side. We will stay on our sides of the room the entire night, understood?" They nodded silently, and she smiled.

"Good. I don't want this to be awkward,ok? Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to change." Taking her small duffel bag, she walked into the bathroom and shut the door.

Shachi and Penguin gave each other worried looks before turning their attention to the ruffling sound of clothing being taken off from the bathroom. They gulped in unison.

"Should we get to sleep now?" Penguin suggested, glancing at the bed by the window. Shachi nodded and they reluctantly took off their uniforms, constantly checking the door in case Summer came out.

Now wearing nothing but their boxers, they stuffed their clothes into their own bags and hurried under the covers of the bed, half out of fear of Summer seeing them half naked and half out of the freezing cold temperatures. The two were as stiff as a board, and they shivered even underneath the thick bedding.

Summer emerged from the bathroom after a few moments. Her hair was up high on her head, wearing her tank top and sleeping shorts that showed a generous amount of her slender legs. Shachi, who was facing her side, widened his eyes at the pleasant sight, and his cheeks began to heat up.

Climbing into the soft bed, Summer turned off the light on the nightstand before making herself more comfortable in the large pillows. Sighing heavily, she muttered a faint 'goodnight' before falling asleep rather quickly.

The two engineers gave a half-hearted response and waited until she was breathing easily to relax at all. Letting out sighs of their own, they got into more comfortable positions and waited for sleep to claim them.

* * *

Law was stretched out on the comfortable bed with his arms behind his head. Glancing over at his friend, Bepo was still wide awake, staring at the ceiling in concentration. The bear's face was scrunched up in thought, and Law smirked at the sight. Whatever he was thinking about, it was obviously serious.

Closing his eyes, he felt a pang of annoyance at the fact that he wasn't the least bit tired. Despite the soft beds and warmer rooms, his insomnia had kept him wide awake. He found comfort in knowing that that at least one other person wouldn't be sleeping well that night, and his smirk widened.

He was curious to see how his mysterious blonde crew member would fare during the night.

"Captain?" Bepo asked softly, causing Law to glance in his direction. He hummed in response, signalling Bepo to continue.

"Do you think this island has any female bears?" Shaking his head, Law closed his eyes once more.

"Perhaps. We'll have to wait and see."

* * *

Penguin woke to a familiar feeling in the lower part of his body. He groggily awoke to that feeling, eyes widening and body stiffening when he realized just what it was. Somehow, Shachi had woken as well, probably due to the unconscious movements Penguin had been making.

"What is it, man?" He asked, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Glancing over at his friend curiously, he noticed the panicked expression.

"Dude, I have to pee."

Groaning, Shachi rolled back over to the other side of the bed in an attempt to fall back asleep. It was still dark outside. "Then go take care of it." He mumbled.

Penguin gulped, sitting up on the bed. "But...the bathroom's on Summer's side, man!" He whispered feverishly. Shachi's back stiffened at the realization. He sat up as well.

"Shit, man. What are we gonna do?" They both eyed the door on the other side of the room, then glanced at the sleeping figure in the bed opposite. Strangely, Summer's arm stuck out of a mass of jumbled covers and sheet.

"I really have to pee. I have to go over there." Penguin reluctantly admitted. Shachi looked at Penguin as if he had grown two heads.

"Didn't you hear what Summer-chan said? We stay on our sides of the room the whole night. She'll kill us or something!" He whispered back. Penguin shook his head as he slowly stood from the bed.

"Not if I don't wake her up. This is operation Don't-Wake-The-Beast, got it?" Sighing, Shachi nodded and watched anxiously as his friend tip-toed over to the bathroom door. He made sure to keep watch of Summer as well.

Each step was slow and patient, despite the raging need in his lower region urging him to rush to the door. The even breathing of the girl in the bed kept him calm enough to resist. He prayed to whatever gods were above that they wouldn't damn him to an untimely death in the middle of the night.

"You've got this, man." Shachi whispered encouragement behind him. When Penguin turned to give him a thumbs up, his foot pressed down on a loose board. The room was filled with a loud squeaking noise, and both engineers froze.

To their horror, Summer stirred slightly, mumbling nonsense as she slowly woke up. Running back to the bed would only startle her further, so Penguin stayed frozen in the spot he was at.

Summer propped herself on one elbow and took a look around the room sleepily. Taking in Penguin halfway across the room, she rubbed her eyes. "Penguin, what are you up to?" She asked, yawning halfway through her sentence.

"U-um...well…" He stuttered, looking to Shachi for help. To his despair, his friend was now pretending to be sound asleep and offered no help to his friend. Looking back at the sleepy girl, he decided to tell the truth. "I really needed to use the bathroom…" He muttered, closing his eyes in fear.

He heard a rustling and opened his eyes to see Summer nestling herself back under the covers. "Oh, ok then. Just try to be quiet." He stared in amazement as she made herself comfortable again. Walking in a daze towards the bathroom door, he wasn't all too sure if he was dreaming or not. Closing the door behind him, he decided to get his business done and get out as quickly as possible.

He finished quickly and gently opened the door, peering outside for Summer. She was still lying in the bed, facing the bathroom. He exited and closed the door softly behind him. Turning back around, his eyes caught something and what he saw made his face go crimson.

The tank top Summer was wearing had shifted slightly when she had tossed and turned about the bed, and now fully exposed one side of her red polka dot bra. Her body was set at an angle that exposed her bust easily to him.

' _Look away! Look away!'_  His mind was telling him, but he couldn't move his eyes from the wonderful view he was being given. He could feel drool beginning to leave the corner of his mouth, but nothing moved him from his spot.

"Hey, man. What are you doing?" Shachi asked, watching his friend curiously. He quietly made his way over and searched for what his friend was looking for. His eyes widened and his cheeks went red.

"Haaa…." He said, a little louder than he had meant to.

That was their undoing.

* * *

Summer lazily cracked open an eye, wondering what sound had woken her up. Noticing the two engineers standing at the side of her bed, she fully opened them, frowning in confusion. They jumped in surprise when she sat up.

"Umm...what are you doing?" They turned their gaze anywhere but her, but she had caught the direction they had been looking before. Her eyes traveling the same way, she gazed upon her exposed bra and opened her mouth in disgust.

"Oh my god!" She shouted, covering up her chest with the covers. Taking a pillow from behind her, she threw it at the flustered engineers.

"S-sorry, Summer-chan! Please don't kill us!" The two stumbled over each other in their attempt to flee the room. Summer got up and armed herself with another pillow.

"We didn't mean to!" Penguin tried assuring her, but her face showed nothing but fury towards the two.

"Get out! Perverts!" She yelled, stepping into the hall after them and throwing one last pillow in their direction. They were now down the stairs leading to the main lobby and Summer was too furious and exhausted to go after them.

"Urgh!" She growled in anger as she stomped back to her room, slamming the door shut without caring about the other sleeping occupants around her. They could all go to hell, for all she cared. Especially one sadistic captain…

One such sadistic captain heard a feminine shout from farther down the hall, followed by the loud running of feet down the steps to the lobby. A few stomping feet later, silence finally overcame the hall. He smirked in satisfaction before finally being able to drift off to a light sleep.

* * *

"Would you like some more fish, Bepo?" Summer asked, holding a bowl of raw trout out to him. Bepo sat at a large table. Beside him, two bears sat; Jenny and Deanna. He looked at both of them in turn.

"Would you like some more?" He asked them. They both giggled in response, timidly taking a few from the bowl. He simply took the rest of the bowl from Summer, who smiled and pranced away towards Law at the other side of the table. She sat down beside him and leaned against his shoulder, to which Law smirked in satisfaction. Turning back to the female bears at his side, Bepo smiled.

The table was outside on a snowy day, the perfect weather for a fish buffet, Bepo thought. Things couldn't have been better.

An endless supply of fish to eat. Bears on both arms. A satisfied captain.

What else could a bear want?


	22. Storm

The next morning went just as Law had predicted it would.

Law was the first to rise, stalking quietly down the stairs of the inn to find his two engineers' terrified figures on the couch. They both seemed to be sobbing in their sleep, plagued by horrible nightmares. He could guess what they were about, and he smirked.

Liam and Reid were next, diverting themselves to the hot chocolate machine as soon as their feet hit the bottom step.

Bepo emerged from their shared room and sat down next to the couch, gently shaking Shachi and Penguin awake. They woke up half screaming and it took a while for them to calm down again.

More men awoke, stumbling slowly down the steps. They greeted their captain and lounged around the room to wait for the rest to wake up.

Finally, Law heard one door in particular slam open and bang against the wall. Angry stomping could be heard coming down the hall, and the crew's quiet conversations halted.

Summer emerged from the top of the stairs, circles under her eyes and her hair a mess. She was wearing Law's hoodie and her wrinkled black pants. She resembled a ghost, her eyes wide and an intense black mood surrounded her. From the perspective of the men, she seemed to be in some sort of trance.

Law looked over her disheveled appearance and couldn't help but find it...attractive. Especially her wearing his hoodie...

She walked past one man after another, oblivious to the strange looks and nervous glances the men were giving her. Law noticed the two engineers were currently trying their best to hide behind the couch, though it didn't seem as if she were paying them any attention.

"Umm...Summer-chan?" Liam asked, slowly approaching her as if she were a wild animal. He was the only one brave enough to try getting through to her. She stopped walking and gave him an intense blank stare. He recoiled slightly, reluctant to continue trying to talk to her. "Are...you alright?"

"Just fine." She muttered, once again walking past the crew. The room was silent as she carefully walked straight towards the front door. Her movements appeared stiff and awkward.

Law was curious as to what really happened the over the night, and approached the two engineers.

"Shachi-ya, Penguin-ya, what happened last night?" Hearing this, Summer stopped dead in her tracks and hurriedly spun around.

"NOTHING HAPPENED!" She yelled, pointing directly to where Shachi and Penguin were hiding. " ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!" Their eyes met and the glare she gave them probably would've made even a Yonko cry. The shaking walls from the storm outside were the only things permeating the silence. She hastily turned away and ran out the front door, the wind from outside slamming it shut. It took a moment for conversation to continue.

Deciding it was better for his safety, and her sanity, if he didn't ask, he walked over to the front desk of the inn, where the innkeeper looked around the room in bewilderment. Apparently, he wasn't used to such odd occurrences this early in the morning.

"How long does it take for a log pose to set?" Law asked, to which the innkeeper gratefully looked away from the crew that was now trying to see how long they could go without blinking. The older gentleman cleared his throat.

"Ah, Three days." He answered, to which Law nodded. "If I were you, I would try to stay indoors whenever possible. Blizzards have been known to spring up out of nowhere on a regular basis." He glanced at the front door where Summer had sprinted out. "Also, she might get lost if she's out there alone."

Sighing, Law gestured to Bepo to follow him outside to search for Summer.

* * *

The freezing cold air outside quickly calmed Summer down enough to think rationally. She was heading towards the submarine, intent on hiding in her room possibly long enough until they left the island.

' _Now they all think you're a nutcase...'_  She thought, remembering all the shocked faces of the crew. She had probably looked pretty senile now that she thought about it. She had been so agitated, she had forgotten to do her hair that morning. Shrugging, she continued walking.

The town was smaller than that of the previous island. There was only one main street and she could see the end of it from where she stood. The buildings were all heavily fortified against the onslaught of falling snow. Walking in her combat boots was difficult, and Summer found herself bracing against each step she took to avoid falling like an idiot.

The harsh wind made it difficult to see and she held out a hand in an attempt to keep the snow out of her eyes. The lack of a proper jacket wasn't very helpful either...

 _'Seriously, how does he manage with just this hoodie?'_ Summer thought harshly.

"Summer!" She heard Bepo call behind her. Turning, she watched him run through the storm as if it were nothing more than a gentle spring breeze.

' _Must be nice being a polar bear...'_  She thought.

"Summer, don't run off like that. You'll get lost."

"But the sub's just over there." She said, pointing in the direction she had been following. The bear shook his head and pointed in the opposite direction.

"No, it's over there."

Mentally face-palming herself, she kept a neutral expression on her face as she swallowed her pride and nodded. "Oh…"

_'You idiot! Nice job getting lost! Now you look like a dumbass who can't find her way to the freakin' sub like twenty feet from the inn!'_

"Come back to the inn where it's warm." Scratching the back of her head with a sheepish expression, she agreed and began walking back with Bepo beside her.

The walk seemed to last forever, but she still couldn't see where the buildings were. Glancing at Bepo, he sniffed the ground and confidently kept walking forward. Trusting his strong nose, she didn't say what was on her mind.

' _Are we even going the right direction? Did I really wander this far?''_

Their walk continued. To Summer, if felt as if the wind had picked up and struggled to walk through the intense weather. Underneath the thick snow, her foot found a particularly slippery piece of ice at the same time a strong burst of wind swept past them.

"Ah!" Losing her balance, she reached out blindly for something to stop her fall. A strong hand gripped her arm and prevented her from falling straight onto her ass. Looking up, she scowled when she saw the smirking face of Law. He hoisted her up and she brushed herself off.

"How do you expect to get anywhere with your clumsiness, Miss Summer?" He asked in amusement. She crossed her arms and refused to look at him.

"I'm a very graceful person, thank you very much." He raised an eyebrow in doubt.

"Mmm…" He hummed in response, turning back towards the inn. The two followed him inside the warm building.

The men glanced up at their entrance and all eyes landed on Summer. Her face went red from all the attention and she kept her eyes focused on the ground. Law walked into the center of the room and raised his voice so they could all hear him.

"We'll wait until the storm passes to get supplies. Relax in the meantime." No one had any problem with this so they all went back to their business. Summer felt uncomfortable around the crew after her little outburst that morning. A hand landed on her shoulder and she looked up.

"Hey, you ok?" Liam asked, Reid standing right behind him. Now that she really had a chance to look, Reid looked a lot younger than she knew him to be. They both looked concerned, and she couldn't help but smile.

"Yeah, I just snapped. But I'm fine now. Hopefully those two aren't scarred for life." She said, glancing at the two engineers who were currently nursing cups of steaming hot chocolate.

"They'll be fine. Just give 'em a few days." Liam reassured her. The room was filled with the rich smell of chocolate and Summer glanced longingly at Liam's cup.

"Here, have this." Seeing Summer's eyes land on one of the mugs, Reid offered the second mug he was holding in his hand to her.

"Thank you." She said quietly. She missed the blush that appeared on the engineer's face. Carefully taking it so as not to burn her hand, she timidly took a sip, testing the temperature. The warm liquid filled her mouth, not too hot but not lukewarm. It was perfect and she closed her eyes in ecstasy before downing the whole thing in one go.

"I'll uh, get you another cup." Reid said, heading off towards the hot chocolate machine. The poor innkeeper was going to run out of his entire supply in one morning at the rate the pirates were drinking it.

When Reid returned, they sat in companionable silence for a long while. The crackling fire and cheerful atmosphere were a welcome reprieve to the raging storm outside.

* * *

Finally, the wind died down and the walls stopped shaking enough that the crew could safely venture out into the snow without fear of getting swept away into the unforgiving landscape.

Law stood by the door and gave out orders. "I want everyone to go in teams of two. Find the supplies we need and bring them to the sub. Do not get separated." He said sternly, to which everyone nodded their understanding.

The crew paired off and headed out the door. Summer wasn't the least bit surprised when the captain ordered her to stay there. She crossed her arms and threw him look. He didn't seem to notice, but she knew he had just ignored her.

Soon, Law and Summer were the only ones left in the inn. Bepo was to remain by the sub and help anyone with loading the supplies.

' _Great...Time alone with the sadistic doctor. Just what I wanted...'_ Sighing, Summer stalked over to him.

"What are we getting this time? Medical books? Bodies? Candy from innocent toddlers? Hell, nothing would surprise me at this point…"

"Proper clothing for you, Miss Summer." He interrupted. He had just proven her wrong. She  _was_  surprised. She had been about to continue her sarcastic rant, but his words left her speechless. Things for  _her?_  Was he actually being... _nice?_

"Oh…" She said, feeling just a little guilty she had been so sarcastic. Only just.

"Unless, you'd rather candy from innocent children. That can also be arranged." Rolling her eyes, she cursed him under her breath. He flashed a smirk and exited the inn with her following close behind.

* * *

The duo trudged down the street in silence, nothing but the wind and their footsteps to accompany them. Summer took her time to look around the lonely little street. Barely anyone was outside, though for good reason. No one wanted to be out in such cold temperatures, but still. The lack of people left her with little impression of their culture and way of life.

"Here." Law said ahead of her, and she looked up to see a clothing store. The windows were devoid of frost, indicating that the inside was a much warmer temperature. The store owner, a man in his forties at least with bushy eyebrows, a full brown beard, and friendly eyes, smiled thinly at their entrance.

"Welcome. What may I help you with?" Law glanced around the little shop.

"She needs proper clothing for the harsh weather." He said, gesturing to Summer whose interest had been captured by a pair of thick mittens decorated with reindeer on the counter. She looked up and smiled.

The man looked her over as he walked in a circle around her, measuring her body proportions in his head, and scurried off to find clothes that would fit her. Summer followed politely behind him, giving Law a questioning glance. He nodded, not seeing the homely man as any kind of threat. Law sat down on a bench nearby, waiting for Summer to be fitted.

Holding a large pile of garments in one arm, the shop owner ushered Summer into a fitting room. She emerged wearing a dark green jacket that reached down to her knees. She spun around in front of the mirror.

"Mmm…nah." She said, shaking her head and going back behind the door. The next one was a bright orange jacket that ended at her waist. She shook her head immediately at the color and retreated back inside the dressing room.

Law, in the meantime, watched her curiously as she shopped. He had figured this little expedition would be a boring experience, but he didn't mind waiting as she tried on all the selections.

Contrary to what he might think, the shop owner did not try to sway Sumer's opinion about the clothing, simply bringing them to her and agreeing with her comments about each one. Personally, Law had never much cared for the obnoxious sales strategies that could be found in other clothing stores. It wasn't unbearable, and Law found himself feeling quite content on the soft chair in the clothing shop.

Numerous garments later, Summer emerged in a brown, army-style jacket with a faux fur trim around the hood. It fit perfectly, and Summer admired how it looked in the mirror.

"This one." She said decisively, smoothing the front down as she examined it from all angles. Law didn't miss the gleam of excitement in her eyes and stood up from his seat.

"We need boots as well." He told the shopkeeper. The man nodded and guided them towards the shoes section.

He brought Summer several pairs that were sturdy and essential for travel in the snow. Her decision came much quicker, her eyes beholding the combat-style snow boots in her hands. Her expression made Law smirk and he quickly paid for the new articles. This did not go unnoticed by Summer, who ran up beside him as they left.

"I'm half surprised you didn't steal them." He kept his gaze ahead.

"The man wasn't overbearing." Was all he said, leaving Summer with a suspicious look on her face. She quickly let it go, content with her new clothes and shoes.

The walked in silence for awhile, until Summer spoke up softly.

"Thank you, by the way." She mumbled, and Law just barely caught her words. "I appreciate the new clothes."

He didn't look in her direction, but he detected a hint of sorrow to her words. Thinking back on the little information she had given him about her past, he came to the conclusion that this was probably the first time she had actually been given nice things. Receiving anything to call her own was probably a new experience. It was then that he recognized just how tragic this girl's childhood and life thereafter were. What a normal adult woman found routine, she found fascinating and novel.

 _'No wonder she appreciates the little things...'_  He thought, remembering the look of joy on her face when she had entered the shop to begin with.

He remained silent. He admitted the girl deserved some respect in that sense, so he'd allow her this one moment without teasing or sarcastic comment.

But just this once.

* * *

"There's one other thing I want to look for." Law stated, leading her towards the snowy hills at the edge of the town. The main road ended and the thickly blanketed became even harder to slog through.

"What is it you need exactly?" Summer asked, placing her feet in the spots Law's feet had already traveled to make the trek a bit easier. He turned slightly to answer her.

"It's a rare herb found in this island's mountain region. We have to pass the hills to get to them." Disbelief passed over Summer's face.

"We're going into dangerous mountains in the middle of this freezing island with nothing but the clothes on our backs? Are you insane?" She asked harshly.

"I'm not sure  _you_ , of all people, have the right to question my mental state." He shot back. "Your outburst this morning is proof of that." She scowled back at him.

"I think I had a pretty good reason to flip out like I did. Speaking of that...You, sir, have sick-minded men in your crew." She huffed, her breath creating large clouds in front of her. Law smirked.

"And what, may I ask, did happen last night to cause such a commotion? I believe I told you not to engage with any sort of relationship with my crew." She struggled to control her anger, baring her teeth and clenching her fists tightly against her sides.

"Hell no! And t-that's none of your business!" She shouted, pointing an accusatory finger at him. He noticed her red face, both from shouting and the cold air, and chuckled quietly. They kept quiet after that; Law focused on finding the rare herb and Summer trying unsuccessfully to burn a hole into the back of his head with her glare alone.

* * *

The scenery quickly changed from snow-covered hills to rising mountains and cliffs. The ground was uneven and their progress became much slower as they had to focus on the placement of their feet. One wrong step and they would end up with a broken ankle.

"Are you sure it's even here?" Summer asked, eyeing the steep climb to the top of the mountain. Law nodded.

"I read it in a medicinal herb book. It only grows in the highest altitudes of this island." He began the long trek up the mountain, glancing back with a look that said 'Are you coming or not?'

Sighing deeply, Summer followed slowly after him.

' _Following this bastard is gonna get me killed...Ah, what the hell? Why not? I just love a good hike.''_ She thought bitterly.

The path quickly ascended, and the right side of the mountain became a steep cliff. Summer peered over the edge and gulped at how high they had already climbed. She backed away from the edge quickly and noticed that Law was farther ahead of her than she felt comfortable with. Jogging to catch up, her foot slipped on an icy patch.

"Ah!" She yelled, falling to the ground and sliding backwards down the mountain. Her arms scrambled for anything to hang on to. Nothing gave her purchase, her icy fingers too numb to properly grasp anything. In her panic, she began hyperventilating.

Her wide eyes looked to Law, who wore an intense expression. He was too far away to help her, and she thought in despair that she didn't wish to die. His face was the last thing she saw before disappearing below the side of the cliff.

* * *

"Room."

Law's blue sphere covered most of the mountainside and past the point of the cliff edge. Moving his hands, he switched Summer with the snow on the ground next to him. She appeared and landed on the snowy ground with a thud. The fall made her lose her breath, and she lay gasping for air with eyes tightly shut. He crouched down next to her and inspected for any injuries.

Her attempt to stop herself from falling had caused many little red cuts along her hands and arms. They were clean, which was good, but they were bleeding as well. Everything else appeared to be uninjured. Her breathing began to even out, small puffs of air forming above her, and she opened her eyes, peering at him in relief.

"Law…" She muttered. Her skin was white as a sheet from shock, and she seemed to blend in with the snow around her.

"Can you stand?" He asked. She gave a small nod and struggled to get to her feet. With Law keeping her up by her arm, she managed to stand. It took a few moments to find her balance again, but she looked to Law and nodded, indicating she was ready to keep going.

They began walking again, albeit much slower than before. The snow was still coming down on them. It seemed to Law that the storm was getting worse, and he hoped that he could find this herb soon so they could get off the mountain quickly.

* * *

They had to stop a few times to rest and catch their breaths, but they relentlessly continued forward. By the time they reached the top of the mountain, luckily without any more incidents, the storm had become a blizzard yet again. Summer bit her lip against the strong, freezing wind blowing directly onto them.

"We have to find shelter!" Summer shouted over the roaring wind. Law narrowed his eyes and glanced around. He pointed to a place on their left. Following his gaze, Summer saw an outcropping of rocks, tall enough to offer some protection against the storm.

To their relief, a small cave lay hidden behind two of the larger rocks. It faced away from the wind and they eagerly entered the makeshift shelter. Both were breathing heavily at this point, exhausted from pushing their way through the fierce storm. Summer threw herself onto the floor and blissfully welcomed the absence of wind. Impel Down had been very similar to this island's weather, and she quickly remembered why she hated the wind so much.

It stung like a bitch.

"Now what?" Summer asked breathlessly, glancing over at the pirate captain. Law shook his head, waiting a moment to catch his breath as well.

"We wait until the storm passes." He sat down and leaned his head back against the rock wall. She followed suit on the opposite wall.

Looking out into the white expanse outside the cave, Summer hoped it would stop soon. If this continued for too long, the others would worry about them, and...

She really wanted some hot chocolate.


	23. Conflicts of the Heart

The blizzard wouldn't let up. So far, it had been going for over an hour and it didn't look like it would anytime soon. Summer gazed out into the white tempest, willing it to stop long enough for them to get out of the little cave. A stinging pain brought attention to her hands, where the small cuts had stopped bleeding but still hurt when she moved around.

Her fall down the mountain had left scratches on the parts of her arm and hand that had been exposed. Everything left underneath her jacket sleeve was fine. Touching the injured limb gently, she hissed in pain when another stinging sensation went down her arm.

"Try not to do that." Law said lowly. She glanced up at the captain, who looked to be asleep on the opposite wall. His hat was low over his head, shielding his eyes from her view. He slowly sat up stretched his sore limbs.

"I don't exactly  _like_ the pain. I just hate not being able to do anything about." She muttered, resisting the urge to rub her arm again. The silence fell on them again, broken only by their quiet breathing and shuffled movements.

"Was this what it was like?" Law asked suddenly, watching the snow outside. She gave a him a questioning glance. He seemed to sense this, turning to her and clarifying. "In Impel Down. Was this what it felt like?"

It was her turn to gaze outside the cave, fully aware that Law was watching her curiously. The cave did feel similar to her cell in that hell hole.

"No." She finally answered, looking back to him. "Right now, I'm not starving. I have suitable clothes. I've taken a shower recently. I'm not alone. I'm not chained to a wall." She said, holding up her hands. "Imagine this without those things for over a year. That was Impel Down."

He didn't answer other than to continue staring at her. It wasn't annoyed or amused like his usual looks were. Nor did it hold pity; she  _hated_ pity. This one was almost...kind.

She looked away from him, her eyes finding the storm outside. The swirling motion could've been soothing, if it weren't for its freezing cold temperature. Summer's muscles refused to move more than absolutely necessary. A sigh escaped her; she was so tired. The frigid weather was physically exhausting, but she didn't dare close her eyes.

In this situation, who knew if she would ever open them again.

* * *

The cold was everything.

Her body shivered without her being able to do anything to stop it. Her new jacket had offered some protection early on, but nothing could really help against this intense cold. Across from her, Law sat huddled up as well, though he seemed to be faring much better than her.

"H-how long have...we been here?" She asked through chattering teeth. He shifted position before answering.

"Something close to two hours." He said, his voice muffled from underneath his jacket collar.

The storm outside continued to rage. It didn't even look weakened at all. If anything, it was stronger than before. She closed her eyes in frustration.

"God dammit…" She whispered. It felt much longer than what it really was, though she had no idea how Law was even able to keep track of time at this point.

Summer released a breath, harshly rubbing at her thighs, attempting to generate some warmth through the pants. It was pretty much an epic fail, because at this point she couldn't even feel her own touch from her stiff fingers through the rough material.

Unbidden, her eyes squeezed shut as if this whole thing was a dream and when she opened them she would wake up safe and warm in her room back on the sub. She would wake up in a cold sweat, just like every other time she had awoken from a nightmare. Then she would laugh at herself for even thinking up such a sucky dream in the first place and go back to sleep if possible.

She heard a rustle of clothing and knew it to be Law moving around. Probably trying to keep warm like her. She tried to focus on keeping her freezing frame warm as well, though she seemed to suck dismally at it.

Her focus broke when she felt a stiff body settle down next to her. Her eyes opened wide and took in Law sitting beside her. Somewhere in the back of her mind she registered the fact that her leg was touching his, but she didn't have enough time to really think on it. She sat frozen in place when he leaned closer to her, his shoulder pressing against her own.

"W-w-what are you doing?!" She asked in a panic, to which he glared at her in return.

"We have to huddle close together to preserve body heat. We'll die of hypothermia at this rate." He responded, scowling at her attempts to scoot away from him. He grabbed her arm and dragged her closer, before wrapping his own around her small frame. A look of disbelief settled on her face.

' _Hell would freeze over before this bastard would ever...'_ She glanced at the blizzard outside and sighed. ' _Damn...Maybe I_ have  _died...'_

It was extremely awkward in his embrace, but she could already feel a warmth spreading through her gut, as much as she hated to admit it. She then noticed he had unzipped his jacket and it now surrounded the both of them. Underneath, he was wearing a dark blue sweater with his jolly roger across it. The collar seemed to be made up of feathers, and she thought of how warm that must be. Through the shirt, she could feel his abs against her back, and her face flushed from the intimate position they were in. His long legs rested on either side of her own, shorter ones.

' _Oh God...oh God...oh God!'_  What was she supposed to do? Die of hypothermia or die of embarrassment? At this point, she was really considering the first option…

"Quit moving around." He said huskily. Law's breath warmed the back of her neck and she froze in surprise. His hold tightened, just enough to stop her efforts of escape but not enough to crush her. Lacking the ability to speak, she nodded.

His strong arms pressed her against his chest, and her breath quickened of its own accord. She didn't dare turn to look at him; no doubt he would notice her flushed cheeks and tease her mercilessly for them. Knowing that he was known for his sadism and brutality, she didn't really want the renowned Surgeon of Death getting anything to blackmail her with.

She was conscious of where he had his hands; one rested on each side of her hips. They squeezed just slightly, as though he thought she would run away. True, that had been the first thought in her mind, but the spreading warmth from his body was too tempting to miss. Through the daze her mind seemed to be in, she unconsciously registered his scent; he smelled faintly of hospital and musk and something altogether male. And damn her all to hell, she didn't hate it.

He seemed to relax against her, and his breathing became more regular. This strange effect began to happen to her as well, and Summer found herself calming down. The close contact had stopped the memories of Impel Down from flooding her mind, despite her claim that it was nothing like it. It just helped to be reminded of the fact that she was, in fact, free from that living hell.

They said nothing as they held each other close, too intent on keeping warm to bother with any conversation. Besides, at this point any discussion would be extremely awkward in the first place. Not something Summer really wanted to take part of, and it seemed Law wasn't keen on saying anything either.

Summer realized that if she wanted to survive the freezing temperatures, she would have to put up with cuddling the Dark Doctor for just a little longer. And curse her inner feelings, she didn't know whether she liked that or not.

' _God help me...'_

* * *

It was obvious Summer was uncomfortable.

Her shoulder and back tensed under his arms, and her breathing quickened. The visible puffs of air were evidence of that. Her legs stiffened and she began to squirm. He tried getting a better hold on her, but she kept resisting.

"Quit moving around." Law said gruffly, trying to get her to understand that if they didn't do this they would both die from the cold. Something must have gotten through to her because she did stop. Her body was still stiff as a board but at least she wasn't making it harder than it needed to be.

Law wasn't comfortable either. It's not that he hated the position they were in; it was necessary after all. But he wasn't a man to force himself on a woman. He was pretty sure if this were any other situation, that's exactly how the girl would be taking it. Not that he blamed her. It was pretty damn well close to it. But doing something that made her uncomfortable just seemed...wrong.

She had lived in discomfort her entire life, and he didn't think she deserved any more unease than what life already produced. Not that he would tell her that. Sure, he teased her and let her get into uneasy situations with the crew, but this was something entirely different.

Law frowned, wondering where these thoughts were coming from.

' _Why do I even care?'_

Summer's tense body was making his back strain uncomfortably and he decided that unless she loosened up, he would be stuck in this hunched over position until the storm passed. And who knew how long that would last.

Knowing that she wouldn't relax until he did, he closed his eyes. Forcing his muscles to relax, his body pressed gently into her back. At first she simply froze up again, but slowly her own body lost its tense edge and she leaned against his chest. Her breathing was returning to normal, so Law didn't have to worry about her hyperventilating and passing out. Although, now he was considering if that was a terrible thing after all…It would certainly reduce the amount of tense awkwardness that had settled over them. He shook his head slightly. If she lost consciousness, she would most likely die.

He found himself hyper aware of how she fit into the shape of his chest. Her small frame made her appear fragile and weak, though he knew she was anything but. The small body that sat in front of him housed the spirit of a killer. The gleam of sadistic pleasure in her eyes during the battle on the beach had sent a curious thrill up his spine. Just thinking about it made him smirk.

As tempting as teasing her to no end might have been, he didn't say anything out of the severity of the situation they found themselves in. There was a distinct possibility that if the storm didn't ease up soon, they could die in this cave. Law had faced death before, but what irked him the most was the fact that this time it was not a battle that would kill him but the random event of a natural weather pattern.

How pathetic.

He hadn't found One Piece and claimed the title of Pirate King. He hadn't put his plans for Doflamingo into action yet. He hadn't even killed Eustace Kidd yet and God, did he want to do that. No, Law would not die from some damn storm in the mountains. He would die either at the hands of his enemies, or by the product of his own strategies. No, his time had not come.

Not until Kidd was dead, at least.

* * *

Hours. That's how long the storm lasted.

Several hours had passed before the wind even began to die down. It took another hour just for the snow to cease its pummeling of the earth. The absence of the relentless snowfall left the air strangely empty, as if a void had been created in the expanse of sky. She only realized the storm had passed when Law began to shift behind her, shaking her from her own deep thoughts.

"It looks safe enough to leave now." He said, slowly rising to his feet. She pushed herself up as well, brushing off some loose snow from her pants. Law shifted from foot to foot, testing his balance and muscles. Zipping up his jacket, he looked to her in expectation. She nodded her head, signalling she was ready to go.

They cautiously stalked out of the small cave and looked around them. Everything was flat and white. Not a disturbance in the snow to be found. The distance mountains looked like gentle hills with the blanket of snow on them.

A gentle flurry fell as they continued their journey. The snow was much thicker than it had been before, hindering their progress even more than before. Law led the way again, though at a much slower pace. Squeezing her arms around herself, she asked a question that had made its way into her mind.

"How are we even supposed to find this herb? From the looks of it, it's gonna be buried in snow. I don't know about you but I am  _not_ going digging through the snow just for some damn plant." She said, huffing in irritation. He gave her an annoyed look but didn't retort.

"This herb naturally grows in very cold environments at high altitudes, but it gives off a significant amount of heat. The temperatures surrounding it would melt any snow that came in contact. We should spot it immediately." He searched the surrounding area as he explained. She gave a doubtful look but shook her head and resumed looking.

* * *

They walked for another twenty minutes or so, though Summer didn't even know if it was still the same day they had set out to be honest. For all she knew, they could have been walking for hours. Law suddenly took a sharp turn right and headed in that direction.

"Over there." He said, pointing in front of them. Summer craned her neck and spotted a clear patch of grass farther ahead of them. It gave off a faint red glow.

"Wow…" She muttered upon reaching the spot. A plant with heart-shaped leaves and glowing red centers grew in large numbers. They were spread over a good sized area, probably ten feet in diameter. The grass flourished, a stark contrast to the pale white surroundings she had trekked through on their journey.

Law knelt and began gathering the herb. Summer picked a different spot and began taking the whole head of the plant, as Law was doing.

"So, what are these even supposed to do?" She asked, carefully plucking the tops of the plant off. She had noticed that the stems were laden with sharp thorns; if she wasn't careful, her thumb would be cut open.

"The enzymes in the leaves speed up the recovery process of wounds." He quickly explained. He had a cloth bag in his hands and she added her flower tops to the inside as well. She assumed he had filled the bag, as he quickly tied off the top and stuffed in back inside his jacket somewhere. In the process, he unzipped in slightly, giving Summer a quick glance at the dark blue sweater with his jolly roger underneath. The image gave her flashbacks of the cave and she blushed.

If Law noticed, he didn't give any sign of it, which was odd. Usually he jumped on every opportunity to heckle her, but he had remained strangely quiet since their refuge in the cave. She shook her head to herself, not wanting to think much about that.

Law glanced at the sky and frowned. "There should be a few more hours of daylight left. We should be able to make it back to the inn by tonight." She nodded and they began their trek back down the mountain.

* * *

The sun was beginning to set behind the distant mountains, and they still had several miles to walk. Law silently lead them down, with Summer behind and slightly to his right. Noticing the snow around them had changed to an orange-red color, she glanced at the sky and let out a faint gasp in surprise.

She had a perfect view of the sunset. Halfway down past the mountain, the rich colors painted the landscape in bright hues and created long shadows for the few trees they past. The valley below them was cast in an orange glow. It was breathtaking.

She marveled at the beauty of it all, how simple and  _normal_  it all was. Something so beautiful couldn't be so regular, could it? Thinking back on the last time she had taken the time to fully appreciate a sunset, she lowered her eyes to the snow at her feet.

' _Through all this time, how many of these have I missed?'_

' _How many sunsets of my life have I lost?'_

* * *

' _Just another hour or so.'_  Law thought, gazing straight ahead as they trudged through the thick snow. The going was slow as they walked downhill on the side of the mountain. Glancing to his right, he spotted the place he was pretty sure Summer had almost taken a tumble down the mountain earlier that day. It was almost impossible to tell from the newly fallen snow, but instincts told him it was there.

Though why his instincts decided that was an important fact to remember, he wasn't entirely sure.

A tiny gasp behind him made him turn to Summer, and he raised an eyebrow.

Her eyes were rapt with wonder as she remained fixed on the setting sun in the west. A tiny, genuine smile touched her face and Law couldn't seem to look away. Her eyes shone with the same intensity as before, but this time they held nothing but fascination and adoration. The orange light made her pale skin glow and her fair hair shine. This happiness, the one that produced such an expression of joy upon her face, Law realized that these moments wouldn't happen often. Knowing it would probably be a long time before he saw that look again, he burned the image into his mind.

Not that he intended to. His brain just decided to do what it wanted.

Suddenly that wonderful happiness became tainted with a deep sorrow, one that Law knew came from deep within her being. Her eyes clouded, and her head lowered slowly. The dejection and pain etched across her features was the embodiment of the pain he saw in her eyes every time she went into deep thought. She probably thought no one could see it, but Law excelled at reading people. It wasn't that hard to notice, if one was intentionally looking for it.

Something in his chest began to ache, and he frowned down at his chest. What kind of pain was this? It wasn't something he was used to experiencing, but he had begun to notice that Summer seemed to instigate these strange feelings surfacing from inside.

Sometimes it was an ache, but other times it was a pleasant feeling. Such as the incident in the cave. The warm feeling didn't seem to just be the body heat they were getting from one another. At first, Law believed it to be lust. But he had experienced that feeling with other women on islands on the Grand Line, and none of them felt the way she made him feel.

And he hated it. To think she would so quickly worm her way under his skin and affect him in such a way that left him frustrated and confused. The closest he could come to an answer would be love, but that was ridiculous.

He was the Dark Doctor, the Surgeon of Death, one of the eleven Supernova of the Worst Generation known exclusively for his sadistic tendencies and brutality.

He was not c _apable_ of love.

One glance in her direction confirmed that she was still deep in her thoughts, oblivious to Law's own inner turmoil. Good, he didn't want her thinking he had started going soft.

Angrily shaking his head with a scowl, he turned his attention back to the long walk ahead of them.

The cold and the prolonged storm had starting to affect him in more ways than he cared to admit.


	24. Changes

Penguin put on his best poker face as he timidly took a card from the deck. Shachi stared him down, trying to discern any piece of information from his eyes or slight face movements. His left hand held a 10, jack, queen, and king of diamonds. All he needed was an ace.

' _Come on...come on...'_

Slowly, he grasped the top card and pulled it to the others. His eyes closed as he said a silent prayer. Cracking open an eye, he examined his card.

He fought the urge to break out into a wide smile as he eyed the much-needed ace of diamonds. Placing it at the end of his cards, he glanced up at Shachi. His face was set in concentrating lines, eyes scanning the cards in his hand back and forth. Every once in a while, he would move a card or two over.

Bepo, who had shed his orange jumpsuit, sat next to them and watched in amusement as the two engineers played their card game. He made quick glances at the door every few minutes, starting to get worried about their missing crewmates. Penguin seemed to notice this and was quick to reassure him.

"Bepo, quit worrying about Captain! A measly storm wouldn't take him down." Shachi nodded, still debating strategies.

"It's not Captain I'm worried about." He replied, once again checking the front door for any sign of the blonde girl or the Captain.

The storm had blown through the town not long after Law and Summer had left the inn. Knowing Law was a very smart and level-headed man, the bear didn't worry too much. But it never hurt to be too cautious.

"Don't be getting all depressed now. Get some hot chocolate or something!" Penguin said, turning to Shachi who was now picking up a card with great hesitation. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Bepo's head lower.

"I'm sorry." He said. Penguin sweatdropped at his crewmate's reaction.

' _So easily defeated...'_

The door to the inn burst open, and all eyes turned to the two figures entering the room. A very red-in-the-face Summer stumbled in behind the collected captain. Relieved greetings were echoed throughout the room. Bepo cheered up instantly, standing and approaching his friend.

"Captain, you were gone longer than we expected." He accepted Law's sword which was offered and followed him over to the hot chocolate and coffee machine.

"The storm held us up." Bepo noticed Law's discreet glance at the blonde kitchen assistant. She was shivering, even bundled up in her new jacket, on the lobby's couch. Several men approached with blankets and kind words. She smiled gratefully at their thoughtfulness.

"Did something happen, Captain?" He began pouring himself some coffee and didn't look up to answer.

"No." Was his immediate reply. Deciding not to push the topic, Bepo wandered over to Summer, who was now wrapped in several blankets. Her shivering had stopped, at least.

"Bepo!" Her face lit up when he approached. Shachi and Penguin were seated on the floor at her feet, chatting and arguing like usual.

"Baka! Summer-chan doesn't want  _you_  to cuddle with to keep warm. She'd much prefer me, right Summer-chan?" Shachi asked with a wide smile. She opened her mouth to reply but was cut off by Penguin's angry retort.

"Says who?"

"Says me!" They closed in on each other until finally their foreheads touched and they were baring their 'fangs' at each other, so to speak.

"Who cares what you think?" Penguin said. Shachi growled in response.

"Summer-chan does!" Summer glanced around as if looking for something to distract them.

"Uh, guys…" They weren't listening and promptly tackled one another to the floor where they figured out which one of them was more suited for keeping her warm. She turned back towards the bear and held out her arms for a hug. A childish grin split her face.

Bepo came closer and closed his eyes at the pleasant feeling of Summer's soft touch. Her hands rubbed his furry belly in small patterns. He could feel her hum in delight. Opening his eyes, he took in the jealous engineers glaring daggers at him.

"Not cool, Bepo! It's not fair that you have fur and we don't." They grumbled. Summer laughed at their expressions.

"Sorry, but Bepo is most suited for keeping someone warm."

Bepo glanced around the room as the others talked. He noticed Liam looking over towards them. The medic quickly looked away when he noticed Bepo's attention was on him. A faint blush marked his cheeks.

Looking somewhere else, Bepo met Law's even gaze. A mug of coffee cradled between his hands, he watched the girl's interaction with the others. Bepo saw the captain's subtle frown before he turned away towards the stairs to their rooms. Searching the room a little longer, he noticed several gazes watching the girl snuggle deeper into his fur.

It seemed everyone was a little jealous of his position as expert cuddler.

* * *

_Purupurupuru…Purupurupuru...Purupuru...Gatcha…_

"This is Marine Headquarters. We have just received a report regarding the location of the Heart Pirates. They have landed on an island ten kilometers directly south of your location, known as Nix. 'Red Hunter' Summer is with them as well. Please exercise caution. You are not authorized to use lethal force. Incapacitate and capture the target." The marine held the receiver tighter at the report. She recovered and quickly answered.

"This is Commander Mona aboard the Vessel  _Phoenix_. How many pirates make up the Heart Pirates?"

"It is estimated to be 30-50 men. Intel on the Heart Pirates is still lacking."

"Please inform the Shichibukai of her location as well." She said, referring to the Shadow fruit user. "I will make my way there now."

"Roger." The line at the other end hung up, leaving the snail silent.

Turning towards the navigators, she ordered them to head south immediately.

* * *

"Please inform the Shichibukai of her location as well. I will make my way there now."

"Roger." The line went dead.

"Hmm…" Viper slowly hung up his listening device and leaned deep into his chair. A hand rubbed his chin, where a few days worth of stubble remained.

Standing slowly, he made his way to the large map on the wall. Many islands had red-slashed dots, indicating decimated towns and cities.

The map was littered with them.

Following the map to where Nix was located, he narrowed his eyes. Even if they left now at full speed, they wouldn't be able to arrive before the marines. Despite this drawback, a wicked grin spread across his face.

"Well, love, it seems our reunion will be delayed a little longer. Just sit tight a while."

* * *

That night spent in the inn was uneventful. The sleeping arrangements were still to be the same as the night before. Both engineers made a point of relieving themselves before even getting into bed. Much as the event from the night before had set her off, Summer just grinned and settled deeper down into the soft comforter.

It seemed that as soon as her head hit the pillow, she was out. The day had been exhausting, physically and mentally.

Images from Impel Down had flashed across her mind while they were in the mountains, and she now wondered if she would ever fully recover from her experiences there. If she could move on from the other things, her time in prison could be purged from her mind as well.

At the thought of her adventure of the day, her mind wandered to the feeling of being held in Law's arms. She squeezed her eyes tighter and forced herself to forget that thought.

She was  _not_  going to think about what it felt like. The feel of his arms around her middle, or his heated breath against the back of her neck. Or his hardened chest against her back. Or…

' _Stop!'_  She thought, feeling her face heat up. Placing her cold hands against her face, she tried to cool them down, telling herself to forget all about that egotistical bastard that was her captain.

' _I'm in way too deep...I need to get my shit together.'_  She told herself with a firm head shake. But another part of her, a  _tiny sliver_  of her mind, told her otherwise.

' _You liked the feeling.'_ It said. ' _You desire him.'_

"No…" She whispered to herself. The comforter suddenly seemed way too hot to be underneath and she threw them off her body. Laying on top of the spread in nothing but her tank top and short sleep shorts, she stared up at the ceiling in misery.

' _What the hell is happening to me?'_


	25. Encounter

It seemed like a miracle to the Heart Pirates when the snow actually stopped falling. The sun had risen no more than an hour ago, though it still offered no warmth to Summer. The air was cold and clear, but the act of wandering around the town was now manageable.

Her arms wrapped around herself and she thanked her pants for being a thicker material, Reid for giving her a scarf with their jolly roger on the end, and begrudgingly acknowledged Law's contribution in buying her the jacket.

' _Thank God I'm out of there.'_  She thought, glad she was away from the cramped inn lobby. For a reasonably small crew, in her opinion, the main lobby was much too small for all of that testosterone. Sure, she got along better with men than with women, but there was a limit to the amount manly roughness she could take.

"Summer, where are we going?" Bepo asked, walking alongside her. She glanced at the bear and smiled.

' _Bepo doesn't count...'_  She thought. ' _I could never get enough of Bepo.'_  In answer, she shrugged.

"No place in particular. Just wandering." The bear nodded, satisfied that there wasn't any danger in what they were doing. If another storm came in, he would be quick to take her back to the inn.

The road was quiet, save for a few residents shoveling away the snow from their doorways. It seemed like a feeble effort, but she didn't say anything about it. To her surprise, one little boy helping his mother outside noticed them pass by and gave a small wave. She hesitantly waved back, surprised that the locals weren't very hostile to the pirates.

' _They must get a lot passing through.'_

The main street continued, and the two passed the clothing shop Summer had visited before as well as countless others. The windows were all warmly lit, waiting for someone to step through the door and sit by the fire. It was just so cozy.

The air was so cold, she couldn't feel herself smiling. Unconsciously, she began humming a tune aloud. At first it wasn't any sort of recognizable song, just random notes that sounded pleasant when strung together. It soon began to take shape into a familiar melody that she remembered from a long time ago.

' _Edelweiss, edelweiss, every morning you greet me...'_  She began singing the lyrics in her mind, unaware of Bepo's eyes watching her moment of bliss. ' _Small and white, clean and bright, you look happy to meet me.'_

She wasn't paying attention to where she was going and accidently ran into a young woman walking in front of the pair. The woman's elbow reflexively pushed into Summer's stomach and she felt as the wind was knocked out of her. A strangled grunt escaped her lips, and she caught herself on her back foot. Startled out of her thoughts, Summer looked up into the terrified eyes of the woman.

She pointed a small dagger-though it looked more like a letter opener-towards them. From the way she held it, Summer could tell she wasn't experienced in combat at all. Her short hair was colored a blood red, she wore a dark purple shirt and black jacket and Summer wondered how in the hell she hadn't spotted her in the first place. She stood out like a sore thumb.

"Please...leave me be, pirates." She begged, hands on the dagger beginning to shake nervously. Her lip quivered and Summer took a step back, aware that their close proximity wasn't helping the girl's anxiety.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to run into you. We weren't going to hurt you or anything. So why don't we put the knife down, huh?" She gently goaded, watching as the woman's eyes quickly flashed suspicion and apprehension. It took a few moments before she slowly loosened her grip on the hilt and slid it back into her messenger bag slung across her waist.

"Are you alright?" Bepo asked, and the girl froze up again. Her eyes widened as she took in all that was Bepo. Her silence stretched on, and poor Bepo must have taken this as a sign of disapproval. "I'm sorry." He muttered with his head lowered.

"Umm...that's...alright?" She said, clearly uncomfortable and confused as to how to respond to the situation. Summer held out her hands.

"Ah, don't worry about it. I was pretty shocked when I figured out he talked too." She said, trying her best to make this strange encounter as un-awkward as possible. Though, it had already crossed the super-awkward line at this point.

She glanced away and wrung her hands. "It's alright. M-my name's Kat, by the way." She mumbled. A half-hearted, pathetic excuse for a wave was sent their way. Internally, Summer deadpanned.

' _Could this woman be any more awkward? Seriously...'_ She audibly sighed.

"Well, sorry to bother you. We'll get going now." They began to walk away but the woman grabbed onto Summer jacket sleeve.

"Wait...are you...actually pirates?" Her eyes were hard to discern, but Summer thought she saw a spark of fascination...or awe, or something. The hand on her sleeve gripped tighter, preventing her from leaving.

"Yes?"

"What is it like...being a pirate I mean?" She wouldn't meet her eyes, and the arm that held onto her sleeve shook. Summer gave a very confused look, then shrugged.

"It's fun, I guess. Full of adventure and all, but not exactly the safest career." The hand let go of her sleeve and Summer drew her arm back to herself.

The girl kept her head down and shuffled her feet, fingers fiddling with themselves. She looked to be the same age as her, but her innocence seemed like that of a toddler. Summer was about to ask why it mattered, but a distant shout drew everyone's attention farther down the street. The girl's eyes widened and she took a few steps away from them.

"I-I have to go." She whispered before taking off in the other direction, short hair bouncing with every step.

"She was kind of weird." Bepo said, watching as the girl turned a corner. Summer nodded and continued walking.

"Yeah. I don't know what her problem was." She shook her head, ridding the strange girl from her mind. "Let's go." Bepo followed close behind her.


	26. The Dinner Dilemma

Summer didn't think much about the strange woman she had met earlier. In fact, she didn't think much about anything other than the glistening frozen pond in front of her. She stood staring in amazement at the glittering expanse of ice. No one was skating right now, but she could see faint skate marks scratched all over the surface.

"Look at that…" She murmured. Bepo nodded his head as well, watching as Summer observed the frozen lake.

"Do you think they have a shop that sells skates?" She asked him.

"I saw one on the main street before." He responded. She gave a gleeful little giggle and ran back towards the town, pulling Bepo by the paw.

The shop was on the opposite side of the street from the clothing store. The front was similar, but instead of several small window it was designed with one large one. Two mannequins were posed in skating position. Summer stood outside with her hands on the glass. Her wide eyes took in the laced shoes and snowflake-patterned gloves the models wore. Bepo smiled, happy that Summer was enjoying herself. Suddenly, the awed expression changed to one of sorrow. She slowly backed away from the window.

"They're probably really expensive." She said. Shrugging with a sad smile, she gestured for Bepo to follow. He had to hurry to catch up, as she was already far ahead of him.

"Do you want to buy the ice skates?" An audible sigh escaped her lips, and she glanced back at the store windows.

"Yeah, but…" She paused. "I don't need them. It's just something I've wanted to do since I was a little girl." She stuffed her hands in her jacket pockets, hunching her shoulders in the process. Bepo looked at her in confusion.

"You've never been ice skating?" She shook her head. "Maybe Captain will let you buy them."

She felt the sturdy material of the jacket and shrugged. Her feet trudged through the soft snow slowly. "Maybe…" She said disheartedly. By this time, they had stopped on the street and were still looking back at the store.

' _He's already been too kind to you. Don't take his kindness for granted. You're not on the streets anymore.'_

After a few more seconds of staring, she shook her head and headed back with Bepo following close behind. "Come on, Bepo. Let's go back to the sub."

* * *

Law sat in his quarters reading one of his medical books, drinking the ever-present mug of coffee that sat on the desk. He'd started reading hours ago, but he still turned the pages with as much interest as he had when he had first picked it up.

Law was frustrated.

The book was a feeble attempt to get his mind off of one person in particular, and it had worked for the most part. The intensive scientific explanations and prodecural descriptions really took his full attention. But her face would slip into his subconscious every once in a while, and it would take longer for him to shake her from his thoughts each time it happened.

Running a hand through his hair with a sigh, he noticed his mug was empty. He pushed up from his seat, stretching his stiff muscles. Passing several men in the halls, he made his way to the kitchen.

The crew had moved back into the submarine after their stay at the inn. Much as he enjoyed the warm rooms the inn offered, he always slept better onboard the submarine.

Passing by one of the small windows in the hallway, he was surprised to see it was almost evening. The sun was close to the horizon, casting a faint yellow glow on the snow outside. It was then the aroma of cooking meat filled his nose and he once again turned towards the kitchen.

' _Dinner should almost be ready. I should probably eat something.'_  He thought to himself, feeling his stomach rumble. He was starting to feel a little light headed, now that he thought about it. Perhaps dinner would be best.

* * *

The mess deck was packed with men, some playing cards and others already drunk and attempting to sing off-keys melodies. The laughing and shouting was almost deafening but he had gotten used to such noise. Tough and serious his crew might seem, but not one of them missed an opportunity to party.

He searched out his usual seat in the corner where he could observe in relative peace. Most of the commotion happened around the center tables, where the more boisterous engineers and medics tended to sit.

So it didn't come as a surprise to find Penguin and Shachi seated in the middle of the group, recounting the tales of adventures on some island previous. He couldn't quite hear what they were saying, but judging from their hand gestures and the rambunctious laughter of their audience, it was quite a captivating story.

The door to the kitchen swung open and Summer hurried out with plates of food. She was greeted by hearty cheers and shouts to bring about the food to men first. He smirked as she just rolled her eyes and shook her head, replying with a patient 'You'll get it when you get it!' A light smile crossed her face as she served and weaved through the demanding crowd.

Her hair was messily tied up onto her head, where it fell down her back in tangled waves. A black apron with their jolly roger was tied around her waist, hiding her usual tank top and jeans. Her face was red, presumably from standing in front of the stoves and hot equipment of the kitchen.

He realized he was staring, but he decided that he didn't care. He was the captain. He did what he wanted. Why should he do anything otherwise?

Eventually, she brought over his own plate. Bepo had joined him, carrying over a special meal of raw salmon he had received from Casper. He hadn't failed to notice that she left his table for last, taking a loop around the room before coming back to his. Whether or not that was because of the fact that he was staring at her, he wasn't sure.

"Here." Was all she said as she set the food in front of him. He eyed the plate with interest; roasted chicken with vegetables and a bread roll. Inwardly, he smirked. He decided he hadn't teased his blonde crew member enough in the past few days.

' _Time for some fun.'_

"Miss Summer." She turned back around, having already been on the way back to the kitchen for her own meal. She raised an eyebrow, silently asking him what it is he wanted. He glanced down at the plate. "I do not think you have been informed of the fact that I do not eat bread."

She glanced down at the plate as well. Looking back at him, she shrugged slightly. "And?"

"I refuse to eat this. I demand another plate." He said, cocking his head to the side to wait for her angry outburst.

He was surprised to see the barest hint of a smile cross her face, only for an instant, before asking. "You won't eat it because you don't like bread? Really?"

This was not what he expected. The anticipated snap of her temper was what he had wanted to see. He raised a brow of his own in irritation as she snorted in amusement before taking the plate back up. To his further surprise, she swiped the bread off the plate and took a huge bite out of it herself. Swallowing the food, she grinned widely.

"More for me then!" Turning her back on the captain, she continued eating the last of the roll. "You don't know what you're missing! And no dinner for you!" She said in a singsong voice, disappearing back into the kitchen.

Law was left somewhat speechless in the corner seat as he stared after the strange blonde cook assistant. Shaking his head, he turned to Bepo who sat across from him.

"I will never understand that woman." Bepo looked thoughtful before answering slowly.

"Maybe she was just hungry." He supplied. The captain continued to shake his head, noting that his stomach continued to growl angrily. Bepo didn't know this, so the bear went back to eating his fish in delight.

* * *

Summer returned twice more; once to fill his coffee mug, albeit smirking knowingly the whole time as if she was privy to some big secret. The other was to clear the mess left by the men. She hadn't even glanced his way. Other than that, she seemed to stay in the kitchen during dinner.

The surrounding crew didn't say anything, so Law assumed this was a normal occurrence. Slowly, men retired to their own quarters for the night, leaving alone or in groups. Soon, there was only a handful of the crew left in the mess deck, and Law stood to return to his own room.

The sun had long since set, leaving the room lit only in the lights inside. Law glanced out the window at the black landscape. The snow surrounding them was empty. Only a few streetlights farther up the street lit up the main road.

Bepo rose from his seat as well. The bear yawned and made to walk out the door but only made it a few steps.

He stopped walking and raised his nose to the air, sniffing a few times with a look of concentration. Law noticed this and frowned.

"What is it?" He asked, watching Bepo carefully. The bear glanced out the window.

"Someone's coming." He said. Law looked out the window once more.

Unlike before, a dark figure was hastily making their way through the previously undisturbed snow. They were still too far away to make out any details, but it was obvious they were frantic or running in panic. The strangest part was they were heading straight for the submarine.

"Are they hostile?" Law asked, taking his nodachi from the bear who had been holding it during dinner. He hadn't even needed to say a word. Bepo knew him well enough to know when he wanted his sword.

"No, they smell afraid. It smells...familiar." He said in confusion. Law glanced at his friend curiously before turning his attention to the figure again. They were much closer now, and he could vaguely make out that the person wore a thick black or brown shawl or cloak.

"Shall we greet them, then?" The captain muttered, moving towards the hatch. Bepo followed, making sure not to alarm the crew to anything strange.

By the time they had opened the hatch and stood on top of the yellow sub, the person had almost made their way to them. From there, Law could hear the person's labored breathing and running footsteps. When he judged them to be no more than 40 feet away, close enough for his comfort, he called out.

"Unless you wish to die, stay where you are." His voice carried through the cold night air straight to their ears, and they hesitated before stumbling forward a few more steps. Narrowing his eyes, Law unsheathed his nodachi a few inches. Whomever it was didn't seem threatening, but looks could be deceiving.

"Please…" A female voice called. "Please help me." She sounded tired and desperate and frantic, a whole mix of emotions. He still wasn't convinced of anything.

"Give me a reason as to why I shouldn't kill you where you stand." He said, his tone as cold as the air around them. The woman gave a strangled sob, before falling to her knees.

" _Please...they're after me…"_  She crawled towards them a few feet before passing out in the snow. He stared for a few seconds, but she didn't move. Law sheathed his nodachi with an exaggerated sigh.

"Great. Another woman I have to deal with." He said, jumping down from the roof to bring her inside.


	27. The Wealthy Runaway

"Will you take this to the Captain, Summer?" Casper held out a tray with that morning's breakfast. Summer finished washing her hands and dried them with a towel.

"Sure." She said, gently taking the silver tray from the older cook. He gave a tired sigh and set to work on preparing for lunch. This didn't go unnoticed.

"Casper, why don't you take a break. I'll start lunch when I get back." The old cook shook his head, taking a large pot from the high cabinets and a wooden spoon from one of the drawers. Setting the pot on the counter, he turned towards Summer who waited for an answer, waving the spoon at her.

"You go take the Captain his food, and make sure he eats it! Don't come back until everything is gone. He's been skipping meals as of late and it ain't good for his health." He turned back to the kitchen. "As for lunch, leave it to me. You've been helpful today, so I'll let you off for the afternoon. But don't be expecting to slack off for dinner, now."

Casper had opened up to her slowly, but surely, over the past month. He no longer called her 'Red Hunter,' but her real name. The kitchen was their safe haven, a place to forget worries through work and the other's presence. The two had learned to respect each other, which Summer greatly appreciated.

"Yes, sir." Summer grinned and made her way into the hallway, still wearing her apron from breakfast.

"Morning, Summer-chan." A still half-asleep Reid greeted as they passed in the hall. She glanced him over, taking in the half tucked shirt and only one sock. A smile threatened to show, but she held it back.

"Morning, Reid. You missed breakfast."

"Yeah, I kinda slept in. Does Casper still have any leftovers?" A yawn escaped the engineer's mouth.

"There should be, but he probably won't be too happy that you missed it in the first place." She warned, grinning at his sudden grimace. He sighed and passed her. She shook her head and went ahead.

Summer continued towards Law's quarters, greeting men who she walked by. Finally coming to Law's room, Summer balanced the tray on one hand and knocked sharply. She waited a moment for him to answer, but there was only silence.

Frowning, she knocked again a little harder. "Law? Are you awake?" The silence continued and Summer was left confused in the hall.

' _Where would he be this early in the morning?'_

The only other place she could think of was the infirmary, so she quickly set off to the double doors. Pushing it open gently, she stopped short at the sight inside.

Law was taking blood from a person lying on one of the beds, slowly filling the syringe with the deep red liquid. The person looked vaguely familiar, but she only glanced in their direction. A tiny gasp escaped her and Law looked up at the noise.

"You'll catch flies if you leave your mouth open." He said, turning back to his work. Summer angrily snapped her mouth shut, briskly walking to the desk and setting the tray down harder than she had really wanted to. The dishes rattled loudly, permeating the almost silent room.

Glancing at the woman on the bed, Summer raised her eyebrows in surprise.

' _Is that Kat?'_

She said, gesturing to the patient, or so she hoped, lying on the infirmary bed. For all she knew, Kat could be one of Law's strange experiments or something. She wasn't exactly angry. Summer held no special feelings towards the woman. They had only met briefly on the street and for all she knew, Kat could be a dangerous criminal who was  _really_  good at acting. And Law's behavior was expected, him being a pirate and a sadist. No, she wasn't irked because she recognized the person lying at the Dark Doctor's mercy.

She just wasn't about to let him off the hook for teasing her to the degree he seemed to think appropriate.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"Treating this woman."

"Is she in stable condition?" Law proceeded to fill small tubes with the blood from the syringe, lining them up in the wooden holder. He still didn't look at her.

"Yes." Summer crossed her arms and leaned on one hip.

"Then eat your breakfast."

"Afterwards." Summer sighed.

"She can wait. Just eat your damn breakfast. Casper told me to make sure you ate it because you've been skipping meals." At this, he straightened and gave her a cold look.

"I don't take orders, Miss Summer. Be sure to remember that."

' _Stubborn, pig-headed, sadistic bastard...'_

"Fine, do what you want. I can't leave until it's eaten though." His gaze turned dry and she raised her hands in front of her defensively. "Casper's orders."

"Then it seems you will be here longer than you anticipated." The growing smirk on his face wasn't missed by Summer and she huffed in annoyance. Rolling her eyes, she walked over to the desk and sat on top.

"Why is she here anyway?" She asked in exasperation, hating the thick silence that hung between them. It came out more forcefully than she intended, and Law glanced up in amusement.

"She was fleeing from someone last night and ended up passing out in front of the submarine. Unfortunately, I was there to help her." He said, obviously annoyed that he had some sort of obligation to treat the woman.

"I met her yesterday. Pretty sure her name is Kat." Summer swung her legs beneath the table, leaning forward over her knees.

"You've met her?"

"Yeah, we ran into each other on the street. She kept asking questions, like how it was to be a pirate and all that. She was super awkward too." He seemed to ponder that for a long moment, before continuing his work.

"She should regain consciousness soon. I seem to have a knack for finding unconscious women around." He teased, smirking at the scowl planted on her face.

"Just don't make it a habit." She huffed, looking another direction. Something in her felt...threatened. It was strange and unpleasant, and Summer couldn't figure out why the hell she even felt that way. She didn't even know what it was  _related_ to.

Law chuckled lowly, before turning back to Kat. She watched him work in silence, glancing at the tray of food beside her every once in a while.

' _Why can't he just eat the damn food so I can leave?'_

* * *

"Mmm…" A quiet mumble made Law and Summer look up at the source. Kat stirred in her sleep, her face scrunching in either pain or displeasure. Law grabbed a clipboard from the desk and watched the woman slowly awaken. He wrote down every action she made, checking to make sure no psychological or nerve damage had been caused from her unconscious state.

Finally, one eye cracked open just slightly to look around the room. A moment later, she blinked rapidly to clear the grogginess. Then her eyes flicked around the room before widening in alarm. She tensed and tried to rise from the bed, a whimper escaping her lips.

"Lay down or I  _will_ restrain you by force." Law's cold voice stopped her movements immediately and she lowered herself back onto the bed.

"Umm...w-where am I?" She asked in a tiny voice that cracked with evident fear. Law took a stool nearby and set it close to the bed. Taking a seat, he leaned in closer than was really necessary, fully knowing his actions were making the woman uncomfortable. She squirmed in place, looking everywhere but him.

"Before you start asking questions, you'll answer of few of my own." He stated, grinning when he noticed her gulp.

"I don't think-" She started.

"Who were you running from?"

"I can't-"

"Answer the question." She looked about ready to start hyperventilating, but Law wasn't about to let up. "Who were you running from?"

"Law, give her a break. She just woke up, let her breathe a little, will ya?" A flash of irritation sprang through him and he glanced at Summer still sitting on his desk. If she was going to play the nice person in this scenario, he would have to send her away.

"Are you ordering me around, Miss Summer?" Giving her an obviously deadly glare. She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, unknowingly giving him a better view of her chest. He shook those thoughts from his mind as soon as they entered it. Now wasn't the time for that.

"Whatever. All I'm saying is if you don't give her room to answer, you'll never get anywhere with this interrogation, or whatever the hell this is."

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Kat's grateful expression directed to Summer. As if she were taking her side. She had somewhat of a point, but that didn't mean Law was going to kindly ask if this woman would be so nice as to tell him what he wanted to know. Law didn't do things the nice way, nor could he be considered a nice person.

His reputation was proof of that.

Instead, he sent the woman a look that silently demanded she start talking or there would be pain involved. It obviously worked because her hands shook in her lap and she leaned back slightly.

"The marines." She said quickly, as if the speed of the words would somehow make it easier. Law raised a brow.

"Why were you pursued by the marines?" She gave a small sigh, resigning herself to fessing up.

"I belong to a wealthy family on another island. I ran away from home, and they hired marines to bring me back." Her eyes turned watery and the last thing Law wanted was a sobbing mess of a woman in his infirmary.

"A wealthy family?" He asked, rubbing his goatee in thought. He caught Summer's glance in his direction. No doubt, she was wondering what he would do with this information. In the short month she had been aboard, she had caught on quickly as to how his mind worked.

The Heart Pirates hadn't done anything directly against society or illegal in a while. His plan to lay low after the War of the Best had been effective in reducing the amount of trouble they could cause, which was good and bad. He knew his men were starting to get bored and impatient; he planned on entering the New World soon and that would most definitely keep them occupied.

Perhaps this would be the first step.

"Where are you from, Miss Kat?" He said, noticing her tense up when he used her name.

"E-Elysium. Please, I don't want to go back there." She begged, meeting his eyes for the first time. The paleness of her eyes came as a slight shock, though the strange hue was nothing compared to Summer's own striking violet eyes.

"I wasn't planning on bringing you back."

Kat jumped slightly, as if his admission were a physical shock.

"Y-you're not?"

"No. On the contrary, I'd like you to join my crew."

He felt Summer's furious stare at the back of his head, no doubt with malicious intent behind it. He knew full well that the offer given to Kat hadn't been extended to Summer; a choice to join the crew or not. He knew he'd face an enraged blonde cook's assistant later, but his plan had to be implemented this way.

The girl's fascination with pirates was a sure sign that she had aspirations to become one, and Law planned to use that to his advantage.

Kat's eyes took on a clear quality they hadn't shown before and she looked in awe at him. "Really? You would let me?" When he nodded she smiled sickeningly bright and gave a shrill squeal. It almost made him second guess his decision.

When he heard rushed footsteps and the slamming of the infirmary doors, he smirked. Surely, the blonde would rein hell against him when she had the chance.


	28. Anger

Law had deemed Kat healthy and able to meet the rest of the crew, much to Summer's irritation. She had hoped that maybe the woman would be holed up in the infirmary for several days, like she had. It would reduce the amount of time she would have to stand face to face with her.

The announcement was made to the crew that same hour, and a small party was being prepared in celebration of another addition to their little 'family.' Penguin and Shachi had immediately demanded to see Kat and then began drooling over her innocent and young appearance. Liam and Reid had to physically drag them away from the very confused and flustered young woman.

Most of the men were gathered around her in the mess deck, firing off questions one after the other. She obviously couldn't handle the situation; her face was red from embarrassment or stress and her little nervous hand-wringing habit had shown itself. The others didn't seem to notice her discomfort. Everyone was in high spirits.

Even Law, who was normally so cold and reserved, had personally introduced her the his crew.

Summer and Casper were the only ones not celebrating.

A feast had been called for and Casper and Summer were holed up in the kitchen preparing the large meal. The old cook had broken out his largest pots and pans. Summer helped in any way she could, gathering ingredients and equipment, preparing the oven for the food, or forcing hungry crewmen out of the kitchen. The hard work was a welcome distraction from what, or rather who, was really on her mind.

Kat.

"Hand me those tomatoes, lass." He said, focused on stirring soup in a massive pot. Without a word, she brought the fruits over to him, immediately returning to her post of chopping the vegetables.

She forced her eyes to stay on the task in front of her, but her body ached to go wring the neck of the Dark Doctor. Or Kat, whichever she ran into first. Logic dictated that Kat had nothing to do with Law's decision to give her the choice of joining, but it still left a sour taste in her mouth.

Why would Law let someone as strange and uncertain as that join the crew? Would he really risk the safety of his crew for one girl?

' _He let_ you  _join the crew, didn't he? That took a whole lot of crazy in itself.'_ She had to admit, albeit reluctantly, that when she had joined the crew Law must have looked at her the same way as Kat: unpredictable and an unknown danger. Giving an audible sigh, she accepted that maybe Kat wasn't such a bad person after all. Maybe it was just her own emotions that caused her to hate the young woman.

' _Something is strange about her. She is not to be trusted.'_

That nagging feeling about her didn't go away, however. That tiny part of her brain that she had marked as her internal instincts was telling her to throw her overboard or something, but she just racked that over to jealousy.

"What are you thinkin' about, Summer? You're staring off into space." Casper's voice cut through her thoughts and brought her back to reality. Looking down, she realized she had stopped cutting halfway through an onion while she was daydreaming.

"Oh, nothing important. I just got distracted is all." The look Casper sent her way made it obvious he didn't believe her, but he left her alone anyway.

Shaking her head, she continued with her work, unconsciously plotting ways to make someone's death look like an accident. She wasn't done with Law yet.

"What do you think of her?" The question came out of her mouth before she had a chance to think. She hadn't meant for it to come out, but nothing could change that now. The old cook glanced through the serving window into the cafeteria where the commotion surrounding the new recruit was still happening. He went back to cooking, taking several seconds to think before answering her question.

"I think she's worthy of a chance." He said keeping his voice low so no one would hear, despite the fact that Summer was the only other person in the room. She looked away in slight shame. "But," He continued, causing her to look back up to him. "I wouldn't get too cozy with her. It can't hurt to be too cautious." She gave a tiny smile.

' _At least someone's on my side.'_

* * *

Dinner was served out quickly, considering how unruly the crew was. Law noticed the men weren't paying much attention to the food they were given. Instead, their eyes held only the new recruit. They looked decidedly happier than they had been the past few days.

It was a shame that his plans would take that away, but there was nothing to do about it now.

As always, Summer scurried around the room handing out the bowls of soup. Though her demeanor had changed dramatically from the night before. Instead of a contented smile on her face, she watched the ground and gave away nothing but a blank look. He knew she was intentionally hiding her real emotions. Judging by the perfectly maintained neutral expression, she had had plenty of practice with that skill.

His own food was placed on his table without so much as a word or a glance in his direction. If he didn't know any better, he would think she hadn't even known he was there. It was like she was running on autopilot, handing out food and dodging legs in the aisles.

It didn't slip by his notice when Summer brought Kat her food last, and he couldn't help but grin. At least he knew his plan with Kat wouldn't give her reason to be sad. In fact, he wouldn't be surprised if she thanked him for it.

"Summer doesn't look too happy, Captain." Bepo said. The bear sat across from him eating his usual plate of fish, but his attention was rapt on Summer's retreating back. She disappeared behind the kitchen door.

Law nodded silently, lost in his own thoughts. He was sure he wouldn't see her again until tomorrow, since she always ate in the kitchen and stayed late to clean up. To his surprise, however, she reappeared a moment later. Her apron was gone, leaving her in her normal tank top and jeans, and she was heading towards the hallway door. Without really knowing what he was doing, he got up after her.

"Aren't you going to eat, Summer-ya?" He said, catching up to her by the door frame. He leaned against the door and crossed his arms, making it obvious that he was not going to be deflected that easily. She had been reaching for the handle but froze at his words. He couldn't see her face, but he could tell she wasn't happy.

"I'm not hungry." She said quietly. He raised a brow.

"You haven't eaten anything since breakfast." Her hand tightened on the handle, her knuckles starting to turn white.

"I'm fine." Her response was clipped, as if it were difficult to talk. A grin spread across his face. Her reactions were so amusing, he couldn't help but prod her a little.

"Is this about Kat-ya?" She bowed her head slightly.

"No."

"Then what's gotten you so uptight?"

Her answer was silence, much to his amusement.

"Are you sure this has nothing to do with Kat-ya? Why don't you join them over there?" He gestured to the loud group in the middle, watching her back like a hawk for any sign of aggression. She took a deep, shuddering breath before turning to look him in the eye.

"What does it matter? I've already met her."

"I would think another woman aboard would make things easier for you. Maybe you should-"

"I'd like to go to sleep now." She interrupted. Her jaw was clenched with barely restrained anger and he knew that one more wrong word and she would snap. Much as he would have liked to witness such an event, he decided that she had had enough for one day. Summer's fury might scare the girl out of staying, and that was something that Law wanted to avoid.

He said nothing more, and she took that as a sign that she could leave. The door opened harder than he was sure she intended it to, and she quickly walked down the darker hallway. Law was left to watch her

* * *

She closed the door behind her, not bothering to even turn on the light. All she wanted to do was rest for awhile and get all these negative feelings out of her system. Summer changed into her sleepwear as calmly as her anger would let her, hopping around a little when her sweatpants got caught on one foot. She left the tank top on and flung herself onto the soft comforter.

Burrowing herself until she created a sort of cocoon in the sheets, she forced her eyes closed and willed any thoughts at all out of her mind. She did not want to keep feeling this strongly about something that probably wasn't that big a deal anyway. It just wasn't worth it, she kept telling herself.

But at the same time, the hurt and anger wouldn't leave her system and she couldn't figure out why. Why did the mention of Kat get her so worked up? Normally, she was a very calm person. This was so unlike her, and she got a headache just thinking about. With a loud sigh, she snuggled deeper into the bed.

' _Just sleep. Things will be better in the morning.'_

* * *

"Do you hate me?" Kat asked, pale blue eyes wide as she gazed over Summer. She tried to speak but found nothing came out. She went to put a hand over her mouth but found that her body wouldn't move either. Looking around, she realized where she was.

A metal laboratory table was set in the middle of a pitch black room, and both arms and leg were strapped down with leather restraints. Panic set in and the thrashing began. The leather held, and her struggling only served to make the skin around her wrists red and irritated. Her clothes were gone, replaced with a white hospital gown. The chilly air and exposed skin gave her goosebumps all over her body. Unbidden, her teeth began to chatter.

Her mouth opened in a silent scream and Kat giggled above her. "No one can hear you, we're all alone. Just you and me." The woman reached for something above Summer's head, too far for her to see. But she didn't have to wait long. A wickedly sharp scalpel dangled from Kat's fingers right in front of her face.

"You know, I don't hate you." Kat said, lazily tracing a line down Summer's face with the metal tool. She looked content, almost bored, with the situation. Summer kept her eyes on the scalpel. "In fact, I want to thank you. Thanks to you, I'm his favorite now. That means I can get rid of you, and no one will think twice."

The blade continued down her jaw and onto her neck. The cold metal barely touched her skin but it burned wherever she traced the faint line. She didn't feel any blood.

"Do you hate me?" She repeated in no more than a whisper, this time with a chillingly wide smile. Her giggling was the last thing Summer heard before the blade plunged down into her exposed neck.

"Ah!" She shot up in the bed, her hands flying to her neck to stop the bleeding. It took a moment in her dazed state to realize that there was no blood, and that she wasn't in the hospital room but in her quarters on the submarine.

She was too relieved to even check the clock to see what time it was. Falling back onto the bed, she curled up on her side into a fetal position and began to sob quietly.


	29. Proximity

"Can I help?" Kat asked, eyeing Shachi and Penguin with intrigue. The two were lying under the heater in the engine room. A pipe had burst while they were still submerged, leaving the entire submarine slowly freezing everyone on the inside. Law had ordered the two to fix the problem immediately, with the addition that Kat go along.

Penguin slid out from the metal contraption, wiping away the sweat from his forehead and took the flashlight out of his mouth. In the process, a long smudge of grease tracked its way on his face. He grinned easily up at her.

"Nah, it's alright. We've got it covered."

"Aww…" She mumbled, giving a very obvious pout. "Are you sure there's nothing I can do?" He rubbed the back of his neck, but Shachi rolled out before he could answer.

"Come on, Penguin. There's got to be something." Shachi's eyes were star-shaped and directed onto Kat. A small bit of drool slid down his chin. Penguin thought hard for a moment before smiling up at the expectant woman.

"Actually, could you hold the flashlight for us? It's a little dark under here." She squealed and grabbed the flashlight that Penguin offered up to her. The two men rolled back under the heater and searched for the broken pipe.

"The left end looks worn." Shachi said, gesturing to the pipe in question. "We'll have to replace the whole piece."

Kat crouched at the edge of the machine, holding the flashlight at an angle so the two could see. Penguin handed over the new piece and put the old one to the side.

"Hold it still and I'll tighten it." Penguin said. Shachi nodded and did as he said.

"Are you almost done?" Kat asked, trying to peer farther under the heater. Crouching was started to crane her neck and her thighs were beginning to burn.

"Shouldn't be too much longer. We just gotta...tighten...this...valve!" Each word was accentuated with the turn of his wrench. Shachi gave a sigh of relief. "That should do it. Try turning it on."

Penguin rolled out again and turned the heater on. Nothing happened. He shook his head in confusion. "Nope, nothing."

"Dammit! What did we miss?" Shachi's curse was muffled from being underneath. Penguin joined his friend under the machine again and helped search for the problem.

"Are you sure you tightened it all the way?"

"Yeah, it won't go any tighter. Maybe there's a leak somewhere else?" The two muttered as they looked for the problem.

Kat continued to crouch by the edge of the heater, unsure of how she could help. The room's temperature steadily dropped and her body started to shiver. Her arms wrapped around herself and she looked around for anything that would help.

Looking up, Kat saw a large beam crossing in front of the heater itself. It looked kind of out of place. A loose screw caught her eye and she stood back up, leaving the flashlight on the floor. It was still pointed underneath the machine, so she figured she could have a break.

Taking a closer look, she saw the screw was almost completely unscrewed, but it didn't seem to hold any significance. Pursing her lips, she reached towards the little piece of metal and pulled it the rest of the way out of its hole. She brought the screw closer to her face and saw that the top half was slightly red with rust. Shrugging, she tossed the screw somewhere towards the back of the room.

Deciding she wasn't needed anymore, she stalked out of the room to go look for something else to do.

"Hey! Here it is. The hose has a rip in the lining." Penguin said, gesturing with his wrench. Shachi rolled over to him and took a look for himself.

"We should have extra in the supply room."

"I'll go get it." Penguin went to roll out from under the heater, but banged his knee against the metal bottom. "Dammit!"

"You ok?" Shachi asked. Penguin held onto his knee with one hand, trying to rub away the pain.

"Yeah, I just-" He was cut off by a metallic groaning sound. Both men looked at each other warily. Something metal creaked and groaned as it shifted, then stopped suddenly. Neither of them moved for a few seconds, barely wanting to breathe.

"What was-AH!" Suddenly, the entire heater fell on top of the two, trapping them underneath the few hundred pounds of metal.

"I...can't…" Penguin struggled to speak. The weight pressing on top of them made it difficult to breathe. Both men did everything they could to hold up the heater so it wouldn't crush them entirely.

"Hey! Someone!" Shachi tried calling out to anyone nearby, hoping that their calls would be heard before their strength gave out.

* * *

"Laim-ya, hand me the hydrogen peroxide." The medic turned to the supply cabinet to get the required materials. Law's focus was on the large cut that crossed one of his men's arm. Liam came up beside him with the bottle of solution and a large cotton cloth. Taking the cloth, he covered the top of the bottle and tipped it over, soaking the cloth in the liquid.

"This will sting, Scott-ya." Scott gave a nod and braced himself for the hydrogen peroxide. Law placed the cloth on the cut and applied pressure, holding his arm in place. Scott gave a hiss, but didn't squirm. Movement would only make the pain intensify.

The pain quickly subsided and Law grabbed a fresh roll of bandages. Taking Scott's arm, he wrapped the thin cloth around the limb and tied it off tightly, ensuring that it wouldn't loosen or fall off.

"Don't put it under too much stress and tell Reid-ya to check the engine room for sharp corners on all the machines."

"Thanks, Captain." Scott said, sliding off the examination table. Law nodded in acknowledgment and moved to his desk where the large stack of medical papers waited to be updated. Paperwork had started to pile up in Law's distraction, and he resigned himself to completing all of them tonight. The door opened and Law, assuming that it was only Scott leaving, didn't look up at the noise.

"What happened?" A high-pitched feminine voice asked. Law glanced up to see Kat ogling Scott's bandaged arm.

"Oh, just a cut is all. It's alright now, Captain fixed me up." He gave a nervous laugh, but flashed a small smile nonetheless. Kat's mouth formed an 'o' and she cocked her head to the side as she brought her face closer.

"Does it hurt?" She poked the bandage a few times, none too gently by the looks of it if Scott's painful grimace was anything to go by, and turned his arm this way and that. He recoiled his arm and cradled it to his chest. Law frowned and spoke from his position by the desk.

"Kat-ya, don't touch the bandages of someone who is injured." She glanced up in surprise, as if Law's presence was unexpected. A wide, goofy smile spread across her face and she walked over to him, losing interest in Scott who now hurried through the door before his wound was touched any further.

"Hi Law! Whatcha doin'?" She asked in a cheery voice, rocking back and forth on her heels. Law gave her a cold look and didn't answer, rearranging papers on top of his desk. A thick silence hung between them for a heartbeat. Liam began to squirm and started edging towards the door. He, like most people, recognized his silence as wanting peace and quiet.

Kat was obviously not most people.

"What are all these papers?" She asked, picking one up off the edge of the desk. She rotated it several ways, having no clue what anything written on it meant. Law snatched it out of her hands, turning his body towards hers and narrowing his eyes. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Liam slip away into the hallway.

"I would suggest not touching those. In fact, don't touch anything in this room." She pursed her lips, taking one more glance at the messy desk before smiling that damned smile once again.

"Is there anything I can help with?" Law's expression didn't change.

"No."

"But-"

"I said no, Kat-ya." Law restrained himself from lashing out at her, not wanting to scare or lose her trust in him. As long as he held her trust, his plan would still work. He hadn't realized how difficult keeping it would actually be, and now he was beginning to reconsider following through with it in the first place. The temptation to wring her neck was growing stronger by the minute, and Law wasn't sure how long he would hold out.

"Well, then what can I do?" Her eyes pleaded for him to order her around, to give her a task to perform. Realizing that she wouldn't leave without some form of guidance, he sighed loudly and returned to his papers.

"Why don't you go see if Casper-ya and Summer-ya need any help in the kitchen? The dinner rush should be starting soon." That smile that he was really beginning to hate flashed once again.

"Ok!" She said, spinning in place and bouncing out the double doors.

After her figure disappeared from view, he was left to reflect that despite Kat's innocent nature and good-girl personality he preferred Summer's hot-headed, short-tempered, and sarcastic attitude. Kat's seemingly dim intelligence held no amusement. Summer's never ceased to surprise him. She was always surpassing her own limits and standards, something that Law enjoyed puzzling over and figuring out.

The thought that her smile was much more attractive surfaced as well. He shook his head, not wanting to dwell on what exactly that meant.

* * *

"Casper, is the sauce almost ready?" Summer asked across the room. She glanced up from dicing the meat to Casper who stood in front of the range. He glanced up as well, meeting her eyes with his own even gaze.

"Just a moment longer. I'm going to need that meat in a minute here."

"It's almost ready. Have the potatoes already been peeled?" He shook his head. "I'll get that done after this." He grunted in response.

Both cooks were brought out of their focus by the sound of the door banging open. Summer was just about to lecture yet another man who thought he could sneak some food before dinner when she noticed that it was Kat who walked happily into the heated kitchen. Letting out an exasperated breath, Summer frowned at her. "What are you doing here?"

Her tone was not polite in the slightest, edging more towards irritation and impatience. She caught Casper's eye and he gave a tiny shake of his head. Obviously, he expected her to be nicer about the whole situation, to give her at least a chance.

Kat didn't seem to notice her angry tone and smiled at the food being cut. "What are you making?" She peered over the cut meat and Summer went to stand in front of it so Kat's hair wouldn't get all over the food.

"Pot roast, but you'll have to wait for it like everyone else." Summer said, crossing her arms. She was vaguely aware that she still held the knife in her hand, and she briefly entertained the thought of cutting the redhead down where she stood. She shook her head, that wasn't an option.

' _I might get blood on the ingredients.'_  She thought.

"Can I help with anything? Law said you might need some help." Summer rolled her eyes and was about to reply that no, they didn't need any help and Law didn't know what he was talking about, but Casper beat her to it.

"Well, put on an apron and you can start peeling those potatoes over there." She gave a wide smile and hurried off to get an apron from the wall. Coming back to the counter, she reached for a potato and the peeler sitting on the counter.

"Hey! You have to wash your hands first. And put the potatoes under a cutting board or you'll scratch the counter."

"Oh! Sorry!" She scurried to the sink, and Casper and Summer shared a look without her notice. It was pretty obvious the girl had never worked in a kitchen before.

"Ok!" She exclaimed when she was done. Summer watched her out of the corner of her eye, just to make sure she didn't injure herself. To her slight surprise, she seemed to be competent enough to know how to peel a vegetable, so she concentrated on cutting the meat again.

Unfortunately, Summer was expecting to lapse into the usual silence that enveloped the kitchen as Casper and her worked. That's not what she received.

"This is such a big kitchen! It's so cool! How many people are there on this ship? Are we landing on an island soon? What do pirates usually do during the day?" Summer gave a bland look to the wall in front of her.

' _Don't yell at her. Give her a chance. Just suck it up for now and you can beat the shit out of your pillow tonight pretending its her face.'_

Casper answered a few of her questions, or at least enough to keep her somewhat subdued. Summer finished cutting the meat and brought it over to the large pot. She looked over to Kat and noticed that only two potatoes out of the fifteen that needed peeling were done. Sighing, she walked up beside her.

"You've got to pick up the pace if we're gonna make dinner on time." Summer went over to a cupboard and pulled out the other peeler, returned to her spot and started to help with the potatoes. Kat pouted at Summer's presence beside her.

"I can do it." Summer subtly rolled her eyes, making sure the woman beside her didn't notice. Much as she really didn't like her, she wasn't one to openly show it.

"We've got to finish dinner soon and these need to be done now. Just let me help you."

"But I can do it!" Kat whined, crossing her arms somewhat childishly. Her whining was all Summer could take.

"Just let me do it so we can get done with this. I want to eat and then go to sleep." She snapped, making it plainly obvious that her presence was annoying her. But it seemed that the jab went unnoticed by the redhead.

"Oh, ok. Then let's do it together!" Her tone of voice made it sound like working together was her idea, and much as Summer really wanted to paint the room in her blood, she resisted the urge and continued peeling at a much faster pace than Kat.

Summer's pile grew higher and Summer noticed that there were only a few left. She could see they were still behind and tried to find a way to speed up the process. A thought came to her. "Here, start chopping them into small cubes. I'll peel the rest." She said, bringing out a large knife. Kat smiled and dropped the peeler, taking the knife in her hands with a little too much enthusiasm for Summer's liking.

They switched places, Summer now on her right and Kat humming softly as she  _very_ slowly chopped the vegetable. Her patience was almost at its limit. It wouldn't be much longer before she started yelling or throwing things, and Casper wouldn't approve of that.

"Kat, you really need to-" Her sentence was cut off by a loud crash behind her. Everyone's attention was brought to the kitchen door, where a medic poked his head in most likely to inquire as to when dinner would be ready. Unfortunately, the noise startled Kat to the point that her entire body spun around, including the knife held tightly in her hand.

The blade faced outwards and Summer's arm was in the wrong spot at the wrong time. The sharp blade sliced easily across her pale skin and instantly a deep gash appeared and began bleeding heavily. Summer's hand flew to the wound to stop the flow.

"AH! DAMMIT!" Her body crumpled into itself by reflex. Kat's hands flew up to her cheeks at her shout next to her ear, letting go of the knife in the process.

Summer's torment was not over, because the knife fell straight down into her foot. The blade dub deep into the bone and she gritted her teeth in pain. She heard Casper's quick footsteps approach her from behind, and his strong and gentle hands gripped her shoulders in support.

Kat reached out to her in attempt to help. "Are you alri-"

"GET AWAY FROM ME!" She dropped to her knees and squeezed her eyes shut. Reluctantly, one eye cracked open to survey the damage to her arm. Her hand was dripping with blood and she was sure that she wouldn't be able to walk on her injured foot. The pain was far too much for her.

A few men rushed into the kitchen to see what the problem was and hurried to crouch next to her. One who was obviously a medic took command of the situation.

"Summer-chan, I need you to let go of your arm for just a second, ok?" Her eyes refused to open and her cheeks were tear-streaked. She refused to unclench her teeth either, so she only nodded. Slowly, her grip loosened and she allowed the medic to examine it.

"It was a clean cut, but you'll still need quite a few stitches." Next he removed her shoe as gently as he could but still noticed her grimace of pain. The sight was not pretty. The wound was bleeding steadily as well, and he knew she needed immediate medical attention.

"We need to get her to Captain." He said, to which the others quickly nodded. "Can you walk?" He asked her gently. She shook her head vigorously. "We're gonna have to carry you there then, ok?"

She nodded her head and allowed herself to be picked up bridal style. The others moved away to allow them room to get through the door. The medic's pace was quick but he made sure to keep her still so as not to injure her further. In no time they burst through the double doors where Law was working.

* * *

"Captain!"

Law looked up at the urgent voice and took in the scene. Blake carried a heavily bleeding Summer into the room, before quickly placing her on one of the examination tables. Standing up and almost toppling over the chair he had been sitting in, he snatched a pair of latex gloves out of a container and approached Summer's side.

"Get the suture and thread, bandage rolls, and disinfectant." He ordered crisply and Blake hurried off to find the materials. Law took up a cloth and began cleaning off the blood on her arm. Summer was still too tense for his liking though. Her eyes were still squeezed shut.

"Summer-ya, I need you to relax your body. The bleeding won't stop if you're strung up like this." He spoke gently so as not to startle or anger her. Thankfully, his words seemed to get through to her and she loosened her shoulders. A few calming breaths and muttered curses had her opening her eyes to look at his own. They were red from reflex tears and still looked a little watery, but they looked normal otherwise. Defiance and determination stared straight into his eyes. He nodded, satisfied that she was relaxed enough not to pass out from stress.

Blake returned with the materials and he quickly disinfected the wound and cleaned away all the blood from both her arm and foot. The stitches were quick and Summer didn't so much as blink. Law was impressed, but he didn't think much of it. He knew she was tough, and stitches were a relatively insignificant matter.

Taking the bandages, he wound them tightly around her limbs before tying them off. She gave out a shuddering breath, relieved that the whole thing was done with. Law moved off to throw away the used gloves and wash his hands. He spoke with his back to her.

"You'll have a limp for a few days, maybe a week, but it didn't look too serious. As for your arm, avoid any heavy lifting for awhile. The pressure might pop the stitches."

"Alright." Was her monotone answer. He turned to face her, asking the important question.

"What exactly happened to cause such a mess?" She narrowed her eyes and glared in her direction.

"Well, it was thanks to your new pet that I got hurt in the first place. WHy the hell did you send her into the kitchen?" He raised an eyebrow.

"I need to find a place for her to work for the time being."

"Well, keep her the hell away from the kitchen. She's more trouble than she's worth." He smirked, enjoying her evident anger.

"And you're any different? I remember that you caused us a bit of trouble before with your attitude." She shook her head, denying his words.

"Not like this. She's worthless! Why did you even let her join the crew?" She scowled at her own question. "Why did she get a  _choice_  and I was  _forced?_ " Law walked over and sat in his desk chair, spinning around to face her. The smirk was still on her face.

"Are you questioning my decisions, Summer-ya?"

"I guess I am." He chuckled darkly, amused by her blatant defiance to him.

"Are you jealous of Kat-ya? Because that's what it sounds like?" She scoffed, as if the very thought was ridiculous.

"No way in hell would I be jealous of her." Her words were full of vindication, but her cheeks turned a shade of soft pink. She wouldn't meet his eyes either, which told him all he needed to know.

"Is it the special attention I'm giving her? Do you feel neglected?" He stood and stalked closer to her sitting form. There noses were only a few inches from touching, but neither broke eye contact. He placed his hands on either side of her thighs on the metal table. She didn't seem outwardly affected by his proximity, but he did register her heart beating faster than normal.

"Like hell I do."

"Stop lying to yourself."

"Quit trying to inflate your oversized ego." She shot back, leaning back just slightly to escape from his closeness. She wasn't getting off the hook that easy, so he simply leaned closer.

At this proximity, he could feel her warm breath against his lips, and his eyes couldn't help but drop down to her own. Something stirred in his chest, something he couldn't name or place. It was confusing, but not unpleasant. In that moment he figured there was nothing he could to stop whatever this was and decided that fighting wouldn't get him anywhere. No matter how hard he had tried to tell himself that he didn't feel anything for her, she forced herself back into his subconscious.

As to how deep these feelings ran, he had yet to figure that out. He assumed that this was one way to accomplish that.

He realized he hadn't answered, and gave a belated "Hmm" in response.

Her eyes widened a fraction when his gaze lowered, and he hadn't realized he was leaning closer than he had thought. His own heartbeat had accelerated. Her breathing came quick but she didn't seem to be trying to escape. Her eyes looked confused but curious. He saw the determination to stand her own against him, and sensed the struggle in her mind.

It seemed like time had stopped, what felt like hours was probably just a matter of seconds. But in those seconds she didn't push him away, despite having plenty of opportunity to do so.

The infirmary door opened to their right and Summer swung to face it, her cheeks turning a deep red. Law glanced up at the intrusion as well, a sudden swell of irritation overcoming him. Why now of all times?

Liam stepped through the double doors before stopping at the sight before him. His own cheeks turned red as his eyes flickered back and forth between the two. He began backing away, stuttering in his nervousness.

"Uh...I'll j-just...I've got to...I was...I'm gonna leave now." He darted back through the doors and disappeared down the halls. Summer broke out of her embarrassment and shoved Law away from her.

"Get away!" He allowed her to slide down the table and land on one foot. Her face was still red and she avoided making eye contact with him. Limping heavily, she walked away as quickly as she could in her condition.

"Thanks for fixing me." She muttered, almost too quiet for him to hear. She pushed into the hall and he was left in the silence of the infirmary.

His smirk didn't disappear. He rubbed his chin in thought, wandering aimlessly back over to his desk. He still had papers to finish, but he doubted much of it would get done. Something else was occupying his mind now.

His time to ponder this new development with his blonde cook was short lived, however, because the noise arrival of his two troublesome engineers brought him straight from his thoughts. The two were being supported by a overwhelmed looking Reid who grasped each of them by an arm.

"Captain! I think my body is broken!" Shachi moaned before Penguin and him collapsed onto the ground. Reid was left to look down at his fellow engineers in concern.

Law sighed and shook his head, closing his eyes. Some days he just couldn't catch a break.


	30. Forsaken Emotions

' _What the hell was that?'_

Summer paced her room quickly, not even feeling her feet touch the floor as she went. Her breath came out in rapid clouds due to her anxious hyperventilation. The temperature was still below anything remotely comfortable, but her senses had dulled. The scene from ten minutes ago was still playing through her head. Covering her face with her hands, she could feel her face was still hot from the encounter.

' _Are you jealous of Kat-ya? Because that's what it sounds like." Law said, smirking that damned smirk. Unfortunately, his words conjured up an image of Kat dangling off of Law's arm, raising one foot daintily off the ground like a tramp. In her mind, Law smirked and leaned down to Kat, his lips finding hers…_

_She scoffed, more so for her own benefit than his. Nevertheless, she could still feel a bit of heat rise to her cheeks. "No way in hell would I be jealous of her." She poured every ounce of her conviction into her sentence, hoping to convince Law of her statement. She didn't look at him, but watched him out of the corner of her eye._

_Obviously it didn't work because his grin only grew wider than it already was. "Is it the special attention I'm giving her? Do you feel neglected?" He was mocking her, and she sure as hell didn't appreciate that._

_She began to panic internally when he stood and walked closer to her. He stopped a mere few inches away from her face. Schooling her features was easier said than done, but she held off the urge to scramble backwards on the examination table. That would only show that physical closeness was a weakness, and she didn't pride herself on showing weakness._

" _Like hell I do." His hands were rested dangerously close to her legs, but she forced herself not to shove them away. If he thought he had some power over her, he was about to be disappointed. At least that what she told herself._

" _Stop lying to yourself."_

" _Quit trying to inflate your oversized ego." She shot back. Keeping up the indifferent exterior was becoming near impossible. She could feel his breath against her face, hot and slow. In the next second, his eyes lowered down to her lips and her facade began slipping away._

' _Oh my God...What do I do? He wouldn't actually...' She felt her lips part out of surprise, and there was nothing she could do. She found she couldn't move, she was rooted to the spot. Her mind was screaming to get away, but even as she tried to move herself out of his reach her body wouldn't let her._

' _Do it. Lean forward.' A small part of her urged her forward, to just do it and be done. And that part scared her. Such strong feelings of attachment spelled out a certain danger that she wasn't sure she was ready for. Feelings brought about pain and regret later_

_Her heart was pounding loudly in her chest, and she was surprised Law hadn't pointed that out in an effort to tease her. Her gaze found his and she saw he was in deep thought. An internal struggle waged through his mind, and Summer found she couldn't look away. His eyes were mesmerizing. They pierced into her core and held her prisoner._

_Whatever he had been debating seem to have been resolved because his eyes took on a clarity that signified he was focused solely on her._

" _Hmm…" He muttered. Her eyes widened, noticing his lips were slowly getting closer to her own. Trying to school her features had been thrown out the window at this point. He broke through her defenses effortlessly, and she didn't put up a fight._

_And then Liam showed up._

Summer shook her head, still pacing the small amount of empty space in her room. The entire episode had her freaking out. Clawing at sections of her hair, she forced herself to stop moving and calm down.

' _It didn't mean anything, he was only teasing. It went too far and nothing happened. Why the hell am I so scared about this!? Stop panicking and sit down!'_  Shuffling over to her bed, she threw herself on top and stared up at the metal ceiling.

Closing her eyes, she attempted to make sense of her scrambled mind. Taking several deep breaths, she delved deeply into the farthest crevices of her brain and searched. Searched for anything that remotely pertained to the situation and examined it.

Much as she didn't want to, the first thing she admitted was that she had felt disappointed, almost irritated, that Liam had entered the infirmary when he did. She could interpret her emotions fairly well, so the feeling itself was not the issue. It was why she had felt it. Shouldn't she have felt relief? Happiness?

The next thing she acknowledged was that yes, she  _had_  been jealous of Kat. The image of her leaning against Law was enough to illicit hatred towards the dim-witted woman and a strange protectiveness over the pirate captain. Her response to his question made that blatantly obvious. Jealousy was a normal response, she told herself.

Yes, Law was attractive by any standard. Kat had happened to become attached with Law's pretty face and had become close with him. Summer didn't deny that she found him physically appealing, she would have been lying if she had.

' _Maybe you love him.'_  A part of her thought. She shook her head, dismissing that idea as soon as it had presented itself.

' _Impossible. I can't love anyone.'_

Deciding that sleep was the best option at the moment, she changed into some sleep shorts and climbed under the covers. Curling up into herself, she squeezed her eyes shut and waited for sleep that wouldn't come.

* * *

"Welcome to Nix, Commander Mona." The mayor bowed respectfully on one knee, but was stopped by a hand on his shoulder. Looking up, he saw the tall woman's face scrunched up in concern.

"Don't worry about all the formalities. Please, stand up." He did as she asked and brushed some loose snow off of his pants. He openly admired the marine in front of him. It was amazing how beautiful she could look even with the wind whipping her hair and clothes all around her.

"What brings you here, Commander?"

"I received a report that the Heart Pirates were on this island. Their arrest is my top priority." She peered around at the harbor, as if the crew's yellow submarine was just outside of her field of view. The mayor shook his head.

"If they are, I haven't heard about it. Are you sure your report was correct?" Mona dug a snail phone out of her pocket and gazed thoughtfully down at it. A small sigh escaped her. Putting it back in her jacket, she was about to thank them for their help.

"They were here, Commander." A new voice brought both of their attentions to the left. The mayor recognized the innkeeper and tilted his head curiously.

"How do you know that, Paul?" The older man shook his head slowly.

"They stayed at my inn for a few days. Noisy bunch, they were." He muttered the last part mostly to himself. Mona stepped forward with a new found interest.

"Did they have a female crew member with them?" She sounded desperate. The innkeeper thought for a long moment, a hand stroking his chin.

"Yeah, I believe they did. She was one crazy lass, I tell you. Never seen a girl so worked up before over nothing." Mona rushed forward and gripped the man by the arms, not in a crushing hold but strong enough to get his full undivided attention.

"Where are they now?" The innkeeper shook his head once more. He hated to be the bearer of bad news, especially to a ranked marine.

"Their log pose set yesterday and they set sail." Mona sighed deeply and released her hold on the older gentleman. Stepping back she made to pull out the snail phone again and call headquarters, but Paul spoke up again.

"I believe they were heading northwest from here. I could be mistaken, but I'm sure that's where they went." Mona gave an appreciative smile and walked quickly back to her ship. The rest of the men were standing along the bow. She ascended the plank way and informed them that they would be setting sail.

While the rest were rushing back to their positions, she brought out the snail phone once again, dialing the number for headquarters.

"Marine headquarters." They said. With one more glance over the snowy landscape around her, she turned her back and walked towards her personal quarters.

"This is Commander Mona, currently in pursuit of the Heart Pirates. We have been informed that they are on the move, sailing towards the northwest. We will continue to follow. I will call with further details when we have them."

* * *

Liam numbly shut his door and shuffled over to his bed. The room was pitch black but he could walk this room backwards and upside down if he had to. Climbing into the soft bed, he sat with his back against the headboard.

For a moment, he just sat there staring at the blackness across from him. He wasn't sure exactly what to do now. Unconsciously pulling out the bird necklace from his pocket, he felt its shape in the darkness in silence. Closing his eyes, he leaned his head back against the wall.

Seeing Law so close to Summer had left a hole in his chest deeper than he had ever thought possible. Thinking about it, even now, sent a stabbing pain of jealousy and hurt through him. A single tear slid down his face and he allowed himself that one small moment of weakness.

He had imagined Summer's face when the moment came when he would give her the necklace a thousand times. Each one had ended with her bright and infectious smile only meant for him. Each one featured only the two of them. One of these days, he had told himself, he would work up the courage to actually give her the necklace. One of these days, he would allow himself a chance with her.

That chance was gone forever.

Pressing his lips together in a thin line, Liam reached over to his bedside table and opened the small drawer. Placing the necklace inside, underneath several magazines, he closed the door and tried to forget that it was even there.

He would forget his feelings for her, immediately and completely. He loved Law as his captain, and he would never wish to change that, but a tiny part of him hated him. Hated what he had and what Liam could never obtain.

At the same time, he knew Summer was a very capable, responsible woman. He didn't think she would let Law force her into a situation she didn't want. Which only meant that she wanted to be that close to Law…

Squaring his shoulders and wiping away the tear from his face, he vowed that he wouldn't get in between the captain and Summer regardless of his feelings to her. Summer deserved happiness. If Law was the one that could bring her that happiness, then so be it. That was all that Liam wished for Summer. To smile a real smile every day and for every reason.

Who was he to take that away from her?


	31. Bargains and Bastards

* _A few days previous*_

"I believe I told you before, your contract isn't up yet. Until the time stated in the contract has passed, you still owe me your services." The male voice said on the other end of the den den mushi. Viper gave the men standing in his quarters a venomous glare and watched as they hastily retreated into the hallway. He walked over to his desk and plopped down into his comfortable chair. His cocky grin returned and he dug in his ear to relieve a scratch.

"That may be true, but here's the thing about pirates. We don't like to be hindered by worthless pieces of paper. Our word means nothing." He chuckled deep in his throat, enjoying the man's silence on the other end. It was obvious who had the upper hand in this conversation, and Viper was going to take advantage of that. He would be stupid not to.

"I am well aware of the way pirates do business." The man said, his voice as level as ever. Not once in his entire time dealing with him had Viper heard him speak in anything but a calm and collected manner.

"Then you wouldn't be surprised to hear that I've made a deal elsewhere for the girl's capture?" There was no hesitation in the reply, much to Viper's disappointment. He had hoped the uncertain silence would continue.

"No, it does not surprise me in the least. But do tell me, does your other contact know anything about the truth about her? Do they know of what she is?"

"I didn't tell them nothin', but he did offer a pretty penny for her scrawny hide." An itch on his backside made itself known and Viper reached down to scratch it without much care. Personal hygiene was not his top priotity, nor had it ever been.

"Whatever it is they're paying you, I can double it." He leaned back in his chair, taking a long even breath before answering.

"They offered twice her bounty if I delivered her. That's quite a sum if you think about it." There was a dry laugh on the other end.

"That's all they offered? Well, if money's all that you seek I can easily provide you with a greater reward than 390,000,000 beli." Viper's ears perked up at the man's words, and his body leaned forward of its own volition.

"What kinda numbers are we talkin'?"

"How does 500,000,000 beli sound?" Viper's grin widened, if that was still possible at this point, and he inclined his head while rubbing his chin. Oh, the things he could do with such a wealth…

"A number like that sounds pretty persuasive to me…" He muttered, chuckling a little louder than he had intended. "Alright, it seems we have a deal."

"Oh, but we already had one. I just needed to reaffirm that it was still in effect." Though the man was on the other end of the call, Viper could hear the man's cold smile.

"I assume I'll take her to the same place as before?" He asked, picking his nails idly. The answer really didn't matter much to him in the least. It wasn't much difference where he took her as long as there was half a billion beli waiting for him when he got there.

"No, things have become much more dangerous than they used to be. I've heard reports that the Heart Pirates were heading northwest of Nix and-"

"Where'd you hear a report like that?" Viper interrupted. A heavy sigh came from the other end, obviously irritated that his explanation had been stopped.

"Like you, we also have the technology to intercept communications. Now then, they were heading northwest from Nix, and there are only two islands to choose from when taking that course: Argyre and Elysium. Your best bet of finding her will be one of those two places."

"I've found her before, I can do it again." He said hotly, feeling as though his ability to do his job was being questioned. The man on the other end seemed to sense this and chuckled lowly.

"Oh, I am fully aware of that Mr. Viper. I'm only giving you some advice. She won't come willingly, so you'll have to be cautious with how you proceed. Don't make a big commotion. I know you enjoy those kinds of jobs, but this is not one of them."

"Yeah, yeah. I've got it." The sun was now low over the horizon and Viper had to squint from the harsh light coming from his window.

"I know you won't disappoint me." Came the reply before the call ended. Viper hung up as well, leaning back with a smug look that hadn't been there before. Picking the phone up once more, he dialed another number.

No one picked up for a long time, and the snail phone continued ringing in the now illuminated room. His eyes narrowed in disapproval as the receiver still hadn't been picked up. He knew she was there, she always had the den den mushi with her. Finally, the other caller picked it up.

"What do you want?" The woman answered, obviously angry that he was calling. Ah, she was in one of her moods. Viper's smirk didn't fall, however.

"Nikki, my dear. It's wonderful to hear your voice again. It really has been too long." He could hear her take a long drag of her cigarette before blowing the air out again.

"It's disgusting when you compliment me. Go to hell." He chuckled.

"Well, you certainly haven't changed. Didn't I tell you before those cigarettes will kill you one day?" There was shouting in the background and he heard Nikki's sharp 'Fuck you!' directed towards whomever it was that was talking.

"What the hell do you want? You only call when you want something done." Her voice cut through the snail phone like a whip, discouraging any form of skirting around the subject at hand. Straightening up in his seat, Viper got straight to business.

"I need you to head to Elysium. Be on the lookout for The Red Hunter, and bring her here to me." She took another puff of her cigarette before speaking.

"I saw the damn paper. I've already put things into motion, but seriously. Why do you care so much about that whore anyway? She should've died in that shithole of a prison if you ask me."

'Now, now. That's no way to treat family, my dear. She's just as important to me as you and your sister and everyone else is." He didn't need to be in front of her to know that his words had put a scowl on her face.

"You call this a family? Some family of bastards we are." She muttered.

Her response only made her laugh. "My, still as hot-headed as ever." His comment didn't ilicit a reply, other the sounds of the woman's long drags off her cigarette.

"The Red Hunter can bring me lots of beli." He reminded her, trying to get back to the subject, to which she sighed.

"You and your damn money..."

"So you have things taken care of?" He said. An exaggerated sigh followed his question and he chuckled.

"Yeah, old man. If my idiot of a sister can't take care of it, I'll get your shit done myself. Now leave me the fuck alone." She hung up the snail phone abruptly and he set it back on the receiver. He leaned back in his chair and stretched out his arms. The sun had gone over the distant horizon and the sun was no longer in his eyes.

Things were definitely going his way.


	32. On Course

Summer's wounds were healing well. She was able to walk a few days after the incident and her arm no longer throbbed with pain. A dull ache remained every time she tried to reach for something above her, but it was much more manageable to deal with.

She had been neglecting her training the last week or so and Summer began practicing late at night after dinner was over. She was still far from proficient at swordsmanship, and the added injury greatly restricted what practice she could actually do, but there was a definite improvement. The sword no longer felt too heavy or strange in her hands; the toughened leather was familiar and comfortable and according to Law, familiarizing oneself was the first step to mastering the technique.

Despite being told that he would supervise her training every night, he too had been too busy with other things to make good on his statement. This really was more of a blessing than anything, as it would have been really awkward considering previous...events.

Speaking of the devil, she really needed to have a serious talk with the bastard. There was one more problem that she needed to address. Well, two actually, but there was no way in hell she was going to bring  _that_  one up with Law. No, the real problem here was Kat.

Summer had intentionally been avoiding her as much as possible after the incident a few days ago. Working in the kitchen made it difficult, but at all other times when she had free time she was either practicing or in her own room. She had caught the girl's eye once or twice while serving food, and on these occasions she felt a chill go up her spine.

Kat had become a regular part of the crew now. She sat in the middle of the room with the most crewmembers, laughing loudly when they made jokes or recounted stories from their past voyages. On some occasions, she spotted the redhead sitting across from the captain himself, on those few occasions that he actually ate with the men. It stirred her blood when she sat talking loudly with him and sometimes Summer had felt the urge to snap the plates in her hand into little pieces.

Law hadn't brought the scene in the infirmary up at all, even when he had plenty of opportunity to do so. She wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing, considering that whatever the captain did, it was usually no good and for his own benefit. That wasn't really a comforting thought.

No, she had to talk to him the next time she saw him. Before things got out of hand.

It was about 2:30 in the evening and Casper had sent her off to get some rest before the dinner rush. Giving a small smile, she immediately started towards Law's room. No one was in the hallway, and the trip to his quarters took less time than Summer would have liked She was prolonging this for as long as she could.

She stood in front of the door, suddenly overcome with a fear of going any further. She swallowed hard and stared at the metal door, almost hoping that he wasn't there at all so she could retreat back to her own room. Shaking her head, a little reluctantly, she forced at step forward. Her fist raised to knock against the hard metal but stopped when she heard a voice inside.

More specifically, it was  _her_  voice that gave her pause.

"...would really appreciate it!" Kat's shrill words caused a slow boil of Summer's blood. Slowly taking her fist away from the door, she took a step back.

The words were too low to distinguish, but she heard Law's reply back to whatever it was they were talking about. If she stuck around long enough, she might have figured out what the subject of their conversation was. But that really didn't matter to her at this point.

Spinning on her heel, her quick steps brought her away from Law's quarters. A cold fury like she hadn't experienced in a long time overcame her and she gritted her teeth against the negative thoughts that surfaced.

Summer didn't even want to think about what it was that Kat was 'appreciative' for. That was  _not_  something she was going to dwell on right now.

* * *

Finishing a medical book he had started last night was not exactly Law's idea of a good morning, but his insomnia left him with little choice. Nor was starting another right afterwards. Unfortunately for him, it was the middle of the afternoon and reading was all he had accomplished so far today.

Forcing himself to stop scanning the book's pages, he pushed away from his desk and stood. The small kinks in his back made themselves known, and he stretched them out. He retrieved his sword from the wall and snatched his hat from his bed. He was just about to leave when a loud and insistent knock came from his door. Sighing heavily, he opened the door to reveal a beaming Kat.

"Hi Law!" She said in a high pitch. He winced at the sound before giving her a glare. He noticed she was wearing one of his crew's uniforms. Someone, probably Shachi or Penguin, must have lent it to her. Altogether, he didn't enjoy seeing her in it.

"What do you think?" She asked, holding her arms out to her sides as she spun in a small circle to show him her outfit. Unconsciously, he compared Kat's reaction to what Summer's would be. No doubt, the blonde would cross her arms, a small pout on her face, and complain that she had to wear something that had ties to him.

He didn't respond to Kat's enthusiasm, letting the thick silence hang between them. The girl didn't squirm under the uncomfortable atmosphere as he had hoped, instead she just smiled wider before continuing to speak.

"I wanted to talk to you about something." Raising a brow in curiosity, he opened the door wider so she could walk in, against his better judgement telling him to slam it in her face. She glanced around at his room and took a seat on the edge of his bed before her gaze came back to his.

"What do you want?" He said without bothering to pretend to be polite. He leaned against his desk with crossed arms.

"Well, I noticed that Summer-san doesn't really seem to like me all that much. I was wondering if you knew why?" If Summer's cold manner bothered the girl any, she certainly didn't show it. The obnoxious smile was still in its place and she swayed back and forth on her heels.

"She hasn't quite warmed up to you yet. Give her time." Was all he said. He left out the incident in the kitchen, and the part where she was given a choice to join and Summer hadn't.

"How long do you think that'll take?" She asked eagerly. Law raised an eyebrow and shook his head.

"I don't know."

"Do you think we'll ever be friends?"

"Perhaps." He answered uncertainly, not sure exactly where this conversation was leading.

"Have you ever been to Elysium before?" She asked suddenly. He narrowed his eyes. Her series of rapid and unrelated questions wasn't only annoying, but a practiced tactic like that was a method of trying to catch someone off guard. He wasn't sure whether that was her intention or she was unaware that she was doing it. Either way, he was certainly wary of her now.

"No, I have not."

"Oh, it's beautiful there! It's like a paradise and everyone is wonderful! In the fall, they hold a harvest festival and all the trees are golden colors and-"

"Enough." Law pinched the bridge of his nose, holding back his sharp tongue. "I get it. Is there a point to telling me this?" Kat seemed to be surprised that she had gone off on a tangent, but her smile hastily returned.

"Oh! Not really."

He felt his eye twitch, but didn't outwardly show any irritation. "Then why did you feel the need to come to my room?"

"Because I like talking to you, Law!" She said, closing her eyes in delight. This time, Law couldn't resist an eye roll at Kat's behavior. She really was getting annoying. "And, I wanted to ask you something."

"What?" He said, not kindly in any way. Kat's smile didn't falter.

"You're not taking me back to Elysium, are you?" He raised an eyebrow.

"No, what makes you think that?" Her hands joined at her back and she shrugged.

"Well, I was talking to Jean Bart and Bepo earlier today and they said that if they stayed on the path we're going, we would go to Elysium. I don't want to see my family's mansion ever again."

A smirk crossed his face and he leaned farther back into the desk. This was exactly the topic that he had hoped she would get to. Cocking his head to the side in mock sympathy, he grinned in her direction.

"You're sure they said we would be at Elysium if we stayed on this course?" She nodded confidently.

"Yeah, they told me when I asked where we were going." If possible, his smirk grew wider.

"Well, I'll be sure to tell them to direct their course elsewhere. We wouldn't want you getting into any trouble, now would we?"

"Nope!"

"Well, if there's nothing else, I must get back to my work." Kat jumped up from the bed and hurried over to the door. One moment she was on her way out, the next she had wrapped her thin arms around Law's middle and squeezed.

"Thanks Law! I really appreciate it!"

The hug lasted a lot longer than he thought that it should. The woman's grip was constricting and uncomfortable, her much smaller height making it difficult for him to maneuver. He held his arms slightly out to the side and just stood there. He didn't know any other way to react. He was damn well sure no one else was suicidal enough to up and hug the Surgeon of Death. He had a hard time seeing anyone in his crew, including Summer, doing anything remotely similar to that. Though Kat was not like most people, and not necessarily in a good way.

A flashback from the cave crossed his mind. Summer's body snuggled up close to his chest, his arms wrapped tightly around her small frame, the faint strawberry scent of her hair, his mouth close enough to her neck to kiss…

For once, he didn't force the thought away.

He was vaguely conscious of Kat stepping away from his person, and he automatically smoothed out his hoodie after her 'attack.' Her light steps brought her out the door, leaving him alone in his quiet quarters once again.

Waiting a few more moments to make sure Kat was well and truly gone, Law reached for a den den mushi on his desk and dialed the navigation room.

"This is Jean Bart." Came the answer. Smirking, Law leaned back onto the desk again, craning his neck upwards to get the kinks out. Looking down at the much shorter woman had begun to be painful.

"Bart-ya, increase our speed and stay on our original course. I want a week long journey done in a few days."

"Aye, Captain." The snail hung up and he set the receiver down.


	33. Where Is She?

"Hold 'em back!" Someone cried out, followed by the loud clang of swords clashing. Cannon fire and screams of agony echoed over the bloody scene. Men had fallen all over the wooden deck of the pirate ship in varied states of mutilation. Somewhere, the ship had been set on fire and smoke billowed out from below deck. Gunshots rang through the awful noise, making it difficult to hear anything at all.

Slowly, the sounds began to die away until only the harsh ring of one pair of swords pierced the air. The sound of bodies hitting the wooden planks began to increase.

One of the shipwrights took in the fallen state of his crewmates with a frenzied, wild look. His breathing was ragged and inconsistent, his chest rising and falling dramatically as the offending pirates slowly closed in on where he stood. The one he had been locked in battle with flicked some blood-his nakama's blood-from his sword onto the ground without a second glance. The man found he couldn't tear his gaze from the drop now resting on the ground by his feet.

"Oy, have you changed your mind?" The opposing pirate captain asked as he stepped forward confidently. The shipwright found it difficult to focus. The building rage at the man before him blinded all reason and before he could really think about what he was doing, he spat at him in disgust.

The captain was too far away to be bothered to dodge the weak protest, but the meaning behind it made his wild grin fall.

"Where is she?" He asked without emotion. The shipwright glared back with as much venom as he could muster.

"I'll never tell you anything." The captain was silent a moment as the two men were locked in each other's murderous gazes. It was the shipwright who broke, the pain in his chest causing him to wince.

The captain's footsteps slowly faded as he walked back towards his own ship. He gestured to one of his crewmates, his back still turned to him.

"We'll see about that. Killer, take him." Was all the redheaded man said. The man with the mask stepped forward, his strange spinning weapons glinting red from the fire behind them. The rest of the men began to fall back as well, leaving the masked man and the shipwright to duke it out.

The shipwright prided himself in being a man that wouldn't give up in any situation. He had faced numerous enemies before the one now approaching him and never had he shown any hesitation to battle those opponents. As a man of the sea, it was common knowledge that being a pirate was dangerous and often times deadly, but he knew the risks. He wasn't afraid of the possibility of death.

What made these pirates different from the rest was their blatant indifference to death, the clouded look their eyes would take when they stabbed an enemy, and their seemingly bored expressions as they quickly dispatched his crewmates. They were soulless bastards, and that made them very dangerous.

As much as he told himself that he had encountered this sort of situation before, he couldn't stop the fear that forced him to take a step back when the masked man advanced. He only gave a small chuckle in response before leaping at the man.

A sharp stab of pain erupted on the back of his head, and then nothing.

* * *

"Liam, your left!" Summer shouted over the shouting men and metal clanging with metal. He glanced left and nimbly dodged the sword aimed at his heart with a light flick of his wrist. The man fell forward from lack of momentum and Liam used the opportunity to strike the hilt of his short sword down on the man's head, instantly knocking him unconscious. He nodded at her before crossing blades with another man in front of him.

Summer crouched low and flitted through the men around her, slicing an arm or a torso as she went. Following a pattern all her own, she covered the extent of the enemy's deck in a matter of seconds. A path of injured men lay in her wake.

"Room!" Summer looked up at the railing and saw her captain create his blue sphere around the entirety of the pirate ship, causing quite a number of confused and horrified looks from the losing crewmen. He sliced the air with his sword, a strange satisfaction in his eyes as men screamed when their bodies were cut into small cubes. Raising his hand in the air, he turned his fingers in a small circle. "Shambles!"

The sky was clouded with bits of men's bodies flying around the blue space, finally coming to rest in disturbing pieces of human. Some figures had too many legs or eyes. One man was made up entirely of torsos. Summer grinned at the sight, fascinated that Law could perform such strange things with his devil fruit.

"Die, you bitch!" Bringing her daggers above her head, she swung around and faced the brute that now stood locked in her blades' grip. The large axe he held above his head, a strange weapon for a pirate, was stuck between the thin daggers in her hand. He snarled as he failed to yank the axe free and he threw his weight behind him as he took a step forward.

"Get off me." Summer gritted her teeth and focused on redirecting his force to the side. A look of surprise overcame the man's face as he started tumbling forward towards the ground. Unfortunately, the whole attack wasn't redirected and he managed a glancing blow onto her side.

"Shit…" She muttered, clutching her ribs tightly. Gently removing her hand, she took in the blood covering her fingers and shirt, a long jagged cut running straight down one of her ribs. It was tender, meaning she would probably have a bruised rib when all this was over.

"Enough games." She spit, turning back to the brute who was struggling to get back up from his fall. Planting a foot on his back, she put all of her weight down onto him and watched with satisfaction as he crumpled back to the ground with a string of curses.

"Go to hell!" He managed with his face being smashed into the wood. Summer leaned over him and grinned wildly, making sure that he could see her. She slowly brought down the dagger closer to his neck.

"Oh, I will. Just not today. And not because of you." Slowly, she began to saw the blade back and forth across the skin, maintaining eye contact with the man as he watched in disturbed horror as she slowly decapitated him, forcing him to watch his own death. The blood that drenched her face and clothing didn't bother her in the least. It could be said that it only fueled her resolve to continue. Once she broke his windpipe, he was already dead. But she kept going until her dagger ripped all the way through the man's neck and she victoriously held the head aloft for all to see.

Looking around, she noticed that only a few individual fights remained. Glancing up, she caught Law watching her with a sadistic smirk on his face and for once she thoroughly enjoyed seeing it. It matched her own dark, twisted grin.

* * *

"Get the injured to the infirmary, those with the worst injuries first with superficial wounds afterwards. Those who are fit will loot anything of value on the ship." Law's orders cut through the initial celebration of victory, reminding everyone to get back on task. The crew did as they were told and Law noticed Summer holding her side tightly as she walked back into the submarine. The adrenaline and fire in her eyes were replaced with a weariness that only came after a long, challenging battle. She passed by Kat with a strange expression, the closest Law could describe it as was suspicion and anger. Though, he knew she didn't like her to begin with so it really didn't surprise him. Still, he moved away from Kat so she wouldn't see him. He had other things to focus on.

Everyone went to do their jobs with a sort of exhausted happiness. The attacking pirates hadn't been easy, that was for sure. But they weren't big names either. He only vaguely remembered the name the captain had shouted before Reid's bullet had sent him crashing onto the deck. Tortoise Pirates is what they said. Not exactly a name that instilled fear into those they encountered. He himself hadn't ever heard of them before.

Even so, there were several casualties to his crew and Law didn't want to waste any time. He was about to head below, but a sound stopped him.

"Law, are you alright?" An annoying female voice cut through his thoughts and he turned to Kat with a small glare. Talking to her was the  _last_  thing he wanted to do. Unfortunately, his plan still required that she keep her trust in him, therefore he didn't strangle her liked he so desperately longed to.

' _Just a little bit longer. Then she'll be gone.'_

"I'm fine." He noticed that she hadn't been harmed in the assault. In fact, there wasn't a scratch on her, despite her being on the deck when the ambush had happened. No blood marked her white jumpsuit. Not so much as a hair was out of place.

' _Perhaps she fled back below deck?'_ Law frowned.

' _Something doesn't seem right...'_  He wasn't sure what it was. It was just out of reach. Not knowing something that probably should have been fairly obvious killed him. It was nothing more than a small feeling in the back of his mind but he knew it was there and he knew to listen to what his instincts told him. But he couldn't really-

"I've gotta go help get the treasure, so I'll see you later!" She cried as she hurried towards the other ship, the oversized jumpsuit she wore flapping awkwardly in the wind. Shaking himself from his thoughts, he quickly set off towards the infirmary.

* * *

The shipwright awoke in a coughing fit and he found himself unable to move. His entire body was drenched in a cold liquid, but he couldn't remember how he had gotten that way. Slowly opening his eyes, he found himself deep in the belly of a ship strapped to a wooden chair by his wrists and ankles. The room was lit by a single light, dangling from the ceiling above him on a thin string. It swayed with the movement of the ship and flickered every few seconds.

Out of the darkness, he made out a silhouette just outside his vision. The figure took a few steps forward and the shipwright grimaced in recognition.

"If I'd have known that concussion would have knocked him out for so long, I would've had you take him conscious." The redhead started, walking forward with a bucket in hand. A few drops of what he assumed was water dropped onto the floor. He quickly made the connection, realizing that they had doused him in the liquid to get him awake instead of waiting for it to happen naturally. He could see a frown of disapproval on the man's face. "Next time, kill him or hit softer so they wake up faster."

A second figure made themselves known in the sparse amount of light. It was the masked man who he had last fought. His weapons were at his belt, the blades catching the one light in the room. Instead of answering, he simply shrugged at his captain's angry tone.

"So, shall we start with your name?" The captain crouched down to be on his level.

"I ain't telling you nothing, rookie." A grin appeared on the redhead's face and he deftly backhanded him across the face. A loud smack echoed and the man's head was whipped to the side. The blow stung and he was dazed for a few moments. "When I ask you a question, you  _will_  answer."

"Sal." The man whispered, deciding that something as simple as a name wasn't worth being killed over. Kidd grinned wider and spread his arms wide.

"Well, Sal it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance!" Placing his hands in his pants pockets, he stood up and meandered around the room. The grin never left his face. His crewmate didn't move or speak, but the false kindness from the redhaired captain was more unnerving.

"You must be tired from such an  _eventful_  day. Can I get you anything?" He didn't try to hide the mocking nature of his tone. Sal gave him a glare.

"Get to the point." His voice was raspy, from what he didn't know. Dropping the act, the captain took hold of his arms and shook. The cold and deadly gaze he gave was enough to make him gulp in fear.

"Where is she?" His question came as no more than a whisper, but Sal heard it loud and clear. He set his mouth in a firm line and inclined his head in defiance. A snarl appeared on the pirate's face and a firm hand tightened around Sal's jaw.

"Answer me!" Somehow, the shipwright found it in him to smirk back at the dangerous captain.

"What makes you think I know anything anyway?" Suddenly, Kidd produced a jagged knife from his belt and grasped Sal's arm that was strapped to the chair. Ignoring his sounds of protest, he gripped the shirt sleeve and sliced away the fabric before throwing it somewhere behind him. There, a black tattoo of a coiled snake stood out against his pale skin.

"See this?" The captain said, tapping the mark with the knife. "I know exactly what this means." Sal's eyes didn't move from the knife gently pressed against his skin, wary as to what he would say next.

"I know that she was part of this crew years ago. I know that Viper is hunting her now that she's back in the world. And I know that  _you_  were sent to find her." The captain brought his faces closer to Sal's until only inches separated the two.

"It's common knowledge that Viper has scores of ships under his command, so finding other people to question won't be difficult. You aren't the only one with the information that I need, and that makes you dispensable.

"Defiance will only bring you pain and the possible loss of limbs. Don't think for one second I would hesitate to kill you, so let me ask for the  _last time._   _ **Where is she?**_ "

The only sound in the room was the breathing of the men who occupied it. Tense seconds became a minute but the silence continued. The ship gave a loud creak when a larger than average wave tilted the vessel to the right. The light in the room swayed with the same movement, casting shadows around the room.

Internally, the shipwright was at war with himself. Protect his crew or save his own skin? He certainly wasn't one to sell out his shipmates, but even the most feared pirates were scared of death. He wasn't ready to make such a decision but there was no other option. The ship continued to rock around them. It wasn't until the room began to settle that Sal spoke.

"I don't know where she is." He said, the redhead's brows furrowed in disapproval and the grip around the dagger tightened enough for him to notice. He quickly explained. "I know where she's heading, but her current location is unknown. Not even the Marines know."

Kidd stood back and crossed his arms, gesturing for him to continue.

"Last we heard, she was heading towards one of two islands: Elysium or Argyre. They're in the-"

"I know where they are." The captain interrupted. Cutting the redhead a glare, Sal continued.

"Anyways, she's heading to one of them. Which one she ends up on all depends on where that other rookie decides to go."

"Other rookie?" Kidd approached the shipwright again, clearly agitated that one of his own generation had her in their grasp. "Which one?" The last part came out sharper than first and Sal had to resist the temptation to flinch.

"Uh, I think it was that...surgeon dude. Yeah, Trafalgar Law. He's the guy." He nodded, confirming his own words.

"Dammit!" Kidd yelled, throwing the dagger into the wall beside him where it struck with a loud thud and wobbled back and forth from the force of the throw. Sal wasn't expecting this sort of reaction, but he wasn't sure what exactly it was that had made the pirate captain upset.

"That creep bastard! How the hell did he find her?" He swung his gaze back to his prisoner, silently demanding an answer. Momentarily forgetting that his wrists were bound, Sal tried to bring them up in his defense.

"I don't know! Honest! We got our information from Viper himself so whatever he didn't tell us, we didn't know. Maybe he-AH!" His sentence was cut off by his choked groan. His eyes flicked down to his chest, where Kidd's knife penetrated deep into his flesh. The captain twisted the knife violently, not hesitating even as the blood soaked his hand and arm, and Sal writhed in pain, screaming for him to stop.

"I told…you what you...wanted...now let me...live!" He struggled to speak through the searing pain wracking his body. He became acutely aware that the rookie was once again right in front of his face.

"I never promised you your life." Came his low, cold voice. He stabbed him again, this time in the heart and the shipwright's body slumped over in the wooden chair.

After his anger subsided, Kidd pulled the blade from the body and wiped it onto his pants before sheathing it on his belt. Killer came up next to him and observed the damage.

"He could've given us more information, you know." His captain glared at him.

"I don't care what the hell he had to say, find that Surgeon bastard and the girl!" He shouted behind him as he quickly took his leave.


	34. The Plan

Most of the injured had been attended to, so that the only wounds Law was left to treat were various cuts and fractured bones. Each crew mate was sent off quicker than the last, and before long only Penguin was left in the infirmary with him. He was just finishing up bandaging his cut arm.

"Thanks, Captain." The engineer hopped down from the metal examination table and started towards the door. Law hesitated, rethought his decision, and finally convinced himself it was right.

"Penguin-ya." He turned to look back at the captain. "Please inform Summer-ya that I wish to speak with her."

"Ay, Captain!" He gave a little salute before pushing through the double doors. Once the sound of the engineer's footsteps had disappeared, Law turned back towards the table of tools that had yet to be cleaned.

The tink of metal and the running sink were the only things heard and Law took the moment to appreciate the moment of peace. There precious few of them ever since he took in Summer to his crew. Although, he thought, he really didn't regret it. She was a valuable addition to his crew, even if she could be an ass sometimes. He smirked at the thought.

"You wanted to see me?" The blonde in question asked, pushing through the doors unceremoniously. Her tone left it obvious that she wasn't exactly happy to be summoned by him. Drying his hands with a towel, he turned to face her.

"Yes, please take a seat." He gestured to one of the metal stools but she hopped on top of one of the examination tables instead. He raised an eyebrow at the tiny act of defiance. Reaching for his desk chair, he turned it to face her and sat. Crossing his arms, he waited.

The silence stretched, and Summer shifted several times. She wouldn't look at him for whatever reason. Finally, after a few minutes without anyone speaking had passed, Summer couldn't take it any longer.

"Why did you want me here?" She snapped. He smirked at her harshness. In truth, this visit was supposed to resolve any high tensions that surrounded the girl, but he just couldn't help but rile her up.

"Do you know why I brought Kat-ya aboard my submarine?" He asked. She rolled her eyes.

"No, and I don't think I really want to know at this point."

"And why is that?" Her silence was the only response. She glanced around the room, still not meeting his gaze. Realizing he wouldn't get anywhere with her like this, he stood and approached her. As soon as he took a step closer she held out a hand to him.

"Stay right there and don't move. Please." She said as an afterthought. He stopped, but only out of the curiousness of the request. Her cheeks were slightly pink, which didn't make sense at the moment. Brushing it off, he decided to head her request.

"I know you've been wondering why Kat-ya is still with us, correct?" Reluctantly, she nodded. "If you'll let me explain, then you'll know why."

"Fine." She muttered. Her arms crossed her chest again.

"Kat-ya claims she comes from a wealthy family on Elysium. I've told Bepo Bart-ya to head there now." Summer nodded, indicating she was listening. "That ship we looted didn't have much of value, so we are still low on funds. I believe Kat-ya can help us with that."

"You're going to take her family's money?" At his nod, she seemed to think about it for a moment. "Well, you've done worse things. How are we going to get to it though? I doubt Kat will guide us to the money seeing as she doesn't want to even set foot on that island."

Summer appeared much calmer at this point, probably sobered by the thought that Kat would be leaving them soon.

"I've accounted for that. We'll just have to take her hostage and demand ransom from her family." She gave him an incredulous look.

"What are the others going to think of this whole thing? They seem to love her." She added bitterly. He gave a smirk.

"They've already been informed of my plans." Her head snapped up.

"So I'm the last one to know about this?" He nodded and her hands flew up. "And why the hell is that?"

"I didn't want Kat-ya to be alerted to the fact that something was amiss." Her confused look prompted him to explain. "If I were to tell you what I was doing with her before, your behavior towards her would have changed. If she noticed that fact, she would lose her trust in you as well as the rest of us. That would make this a lot harder than it would need to be." In between conversation, Law listened outside the door for footsteps, or the high pitched shrilling of Kat's voice. He didn't want to alert her to his plan.

"I still don't totally get it, but how do we even know who Kat's family is?" Summer crossed her legs underneath her, but she seemed to be relaxing more. Good, he didn't really want to deal with a pissed off Summer right then.

"We'll scout the island before we bring her ashore. Look for the most expensive house, I suppose." She shook her head.

"She'll notice if we land on her home island, don't you think?" Law shifted on his feet and listened out the door a moment, checking that no one was walking by.

"I'll have Casper-ya give her a job in the kitchen storage. There aren't any windows in there and he can lock her inside until we're ready."

Summer sat there for a moment, pondering Law's scheme. He noticed her cheeks were still pink, and he took a step closer to her. She didn't seem to notice, so he took a couple more.

"Alright, I see the logic in it I guess. But wouldn't this whole thing kind of weaken the trust in your crew? I mean, you're selling out of your own for profit?" He narrowed his eyes.

"I would think you had more respect for me than that." She looked down. "Kat-ya was never a part of this crew. The rest of the men know that as well. She is useless to me and, from what others have told me, to everyone else."

Summer chuckled and gave a small smile. "Well, at least we agree on something." Law grinned a little as well. When it came to hating Kat, they were both on the same page.

"Is that it then? Is there anything I should know?" Summer hopped down from the examination table and smoothed out her tank top.

"We'll be landing on Elysium in two days. I'm sending you to help scout, so be ready for that."

"Alright, then I guess I'll get going. I need to help Casper with the food anyway." She said with a wince. Holding onto her side, she started for the door. Suddenly she stopped and hesitated. He watched as she turned back to face him.

"Hey, Law. What were you and Kat talking about yesterday?" The question caught him off guard, and he raised a brow in curiosity. From the look on her face, he wasn't sure Summer even knew why she had asked it.

He smirked. Teasing her would never get old.

"May I ask why you want to know?" Her face flushed when she realized her position.

"Umm...I actually don't want to know...Yeah, pretend I didn't say anything." She struggled to piece together a single sentence. Law noticed her trying to back away towards the door without him seeing it. He took a step closer.

"Is that...jealousy I detect?" She gave a little glare at the floor, but her eyes once again wouldn't meet his.

"N-nevermind, it's nothing. Just...forget it. I've gotta go." He grabbed hold of her arm before she could slip away and pushed her against the wall, keeping his hands on either side of her hip. He was conscious of her wound, intentionally avoiding her side so it wouldn't reopen by chance. She seemed to be holding her breath and a look of surprise marked her face. A wolflike grin flashed itself at her.

" It's easy to see when you lie to me, Summer-ya."

* * *

"It's easy to see when you lie to me, Summer-ya."

' _Oh God...what do I do? What do I do? I can't move! He's so close!'_  Summer's thoughts were racing, trying to keep up with what was going on. He was close enough that she took in his scent; a unique mix of disinfectant and something completely male. She had always hated hospitals and anything having to do with them, but she shamefully realized that his scent didn't bother her. Quite the opposite, she always felt safer when he was around.

"I'm not...lying?" It unintentionally came out as a question. Law seemed to be amused by her flustered appearance and jointed speech, because he only smirked wider and leaned a little closer.

"Tell me the truth. Are you jealous of Kat-ya?" She slowly met his gaze and immediately she realized that it was a big mistake. His dark eyes pierced her and she couldn't look away. Want and amusement stared her in the face and it scared her. She hadn't been looked at in this way before.

"I...that's...it's not…" She stuttered. His gaze lowered to her lips. More out of instinct than any conscious effort to, her own eyes dropped to his mouth. Somewhere in the back of her mind she wondered what it would be like to kiss those lips. She didn't have the effort at this point to push the thought away.

"Tell me." He whispered in a commanding tone. She responded without thought or reason. She only reacted to his sharp order.

"Yes." It came out barely more than a whisper, but he seemed to hear it.

She wasn't aware of anything, really. Not the quick rise and fall of her chest, or her pounding heart. Nor the cold infirmary room around her. She didn't even register that she was still pinned to the wall behind her.

She was only focused on his lips on hers.

The kiss was exactly what she had thought it would feel like; insistent and warm. She wouldn't call it gentle or kind. There was a distinct force behind it, set entirely on establishing dominance over her. But she didn't expect, or want, anything less from the man who was known as the Surgeon of Death.

_'You shouldn't want this!'_

He tilted his head to deepen the kiss, and Summer realized her hands had taken hold of his hoodie. When that happened she couldn't recall, but her grip tightened around the soft fabric. Whether it was to push him away or draw him closer even she didn't know.

_'You cannot love.'_

His hands slowly made their way to her arms and he held them to her sides. Her eyes slowly drifted closed and she gave up trying to resist. He coaxed her mouth to respond to his and she slowly complied.

Just as she was getting more into the kiss, he broke it off and rested his forehead on hers. Opening her eyes in confusion she looked up to see the captain's smirk still in place. A large part of her wanted to once again close the distance between them, but she resisted the urge.

They were both breathing heavily, trying to catch their breath. Strangely, the awkwardness from the past week seemed to melt away and Summer was able to look him straight in the eye without any fear. It was a good feeling, she just didn't understand where it came from.

Their breathing started to slow and Law leaned forward again, but he stopped just short of her mouth.

"There's nothing between Kat-ya and I." He whispered. Pushing off of the wall, his fingertips brushing gently against her arm as he did so, he slipped out the door next to them. Summer was left leaning against the wall, still reeling from the sudden kiss. Thankfully, the cold infirmary was helping to cool her reddened face quite a bit.

She let out a breath, both out of relief and frustration. Though it did answer a few of her questions, something told her that kiss was just going to make things more complicated.


	35. Destination: Paradise

Penguin watched with a forced smile as Shachi recounted the story of their adventures at sea. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Kat smiling like an idiot as Shachi told of the many fights they had won. The dinner table was packed as usual, with men laughing, drinking, singing off key, or playing small games of poker.

"...and he couldn't stand up straight after that!" The company roared with laughter, many of them banging on the table from the excitement. Kat joined in with her own high pitched giggling and Penguin looked quickly to his friend.

They gave each other a meaningful look and a tiny eye roll, the last intended for the girl who was now holding her sides in an attempt to calm down from her laughter.

'How much longer?' Shachi mouthed. Penguin shrugged and quickly plastered the fake smile on when Kat drew her attention to him.

"Pengy," She shouted over the crowd, calling him that embarrassing nickname. Even Shachi cringed at the ridiculousness of it. "Tell me about the time you and Shachi were pushed into barrels of sake by those women at the bar! I want to hear it again!"

Giving a halfhearted smile, he plunged into his account of the unfavorable tale.

* * *

"You'll have to try harder than that if you want to hit me." Law sidestepped Summer's attack, sending her careening into the wall behind him. She hit the hard leather with a thud but quickly recovered, shifting her grip on the heavy sword in her hands. Swiping a hand across her forehead, she huffed in annoyance at the smirking captain.

"You aren't exactly making this easy." Law leaned against his nodachi, eyeing Summer with patience as she caught her breath. Her face was red from exertion and her long hair clung to her bare shoulders. Scowling at the offending hair, she angrily tied it up on her head with a band, moving it out of the way of combat.

"The point isn't to make it easy. It's for you to improve. You should know that." Deep down, she knew what he said was true. But the fact that Law hadn't even broken a sweat, hadn't even began to breathe in exertion just a little didn't really help in the slightest. With the absence of his spotted hat, she got a full look of his mess of black hair. By the looks of it, it was as unruly as her own, just easier to manage since it was so much shorter. He still looked this good after they'd been fighting for over an hour? It was more than discouraging.

Their spontaneous training session that Summer had requested served multiple purposes: one was to keep the event from yesterday off of her mind, which it was effectively doing. She figured trying to hack him to death was better than flushing in embarrassment every time she looked at him. Another was to practice her swordsmanship, which really did need improvement. The last was a much more selfish reason, if she were to be totally honest with herself.

She didn't want Kat and Law in the same room.

The way the girl basically threw herself at him was disgusting. The thought of having to sit through another moment of Kat asking him stupid and useless questions was unbearable, and she sought refuge in one of two places she knew she was safe.

"You still want to defeat Viper, don't you?" Law's question cut through her thoughts, and she looked up quickly.

"Hell yes, I do. That's never going to change." Shifting the sword in her hands, she pushed off the wall and walked towards the center of the room to prepare for another go. "And I know it's not supposed to be easy, but giving a few tips wouldn't kill you would it?" Law raised a brow but readied his own weapon at her approach. Giving a little nod, they faced each other once again.

A few moments were spent circling, assessing the other's weak points, before Summer lunged suddenly towards the captain, sword aimed straight at his throat. His nodachi easily deflected the blow before switching directions and heading towards the arm holding her weapon. Pivoting in place, Summer spun away from the attack and planted her feet in place, waiting for the next assault.

"You're too predictable." Law stated, slowly approaching her defensive form. She gave him a questioning glance, silently asking him to explain. "The place you attack is just as important as the way you attack it. You only target the neck, so I know immediately how to counter it."

"So, I need to aim for multiple points on the opponent?"

"Not necessarily. You just need to make it  _look_  like you're aiming for something else. I know you prefer the neck because it is a quick victory, but you are too forward in directing your attack to it." Summer still looked confused, so he walked towards her. "I'll demonstrate."

Summer dropped her defensive stance and allowed him to come closer. "Just watch me, don't move." She nodded and stood in place. Once he was only a pace or two away, he swung quickly at her, but she stayed still, confident that he wasn't out to kill her.

Before the blade could touch her body, Law expertly halted the nodachi and it hovered a centimeter above her throat. From this distance, Summer could feel the cold metal line across her throat. Backing away, Law rested the blade on the ground.

"Just from observation, where was my attack aiming?" Summer replayed the sequence in her mind and answered.

"My neck." Law nodded and indicated that she stand still again. She obeyed, and he once again took a swing at her. This time, however, the blade was angled to the middle of her body. From the way it was positioned, it would hit just below her ribs. Suddenly, at the last second, he angled the sword upwards and the blade stopped just on her neck again.

"Do you see the difference?" Asked the captain. Summer nodded, her chin touching the dark blade before she pushed it away from her.

"You angle it towards the lower body, which makes the opponent think the attack is aimed there, but you switch directions at the last second and aim for the original target instead."

"Exactly. Using a sword is a much different process than two small daggers. A sword is not as easily maneuverable. You can't effectively strike quickly and multiple times in real combat."

Summer nodded, taking in what he said as she prepared her fighting stance again. "Then how about another?" She asked, gesturing for him to attack her. He grinned and faced her. This time, Law was the one who attacked first, thrusting his nodachi towards her lower abdomen. It was the same attack that he had used last, but something looked different about it. His hands weren't angled the same way as when he had directed it to her neck.

Acting on instincts more than anything, she kept her sword low to her body and parried Law's attack. If he expected her to protect her neck after his demonstration before, he was to be disappointed. Her smirked, seeing that she wasn't fooled by his deception.

"Of course, not all attacks are feints. Others are aiming exactly where they're meant to be. The trick is to figure out which one they are." Summer used the opportunity to swing at him again, which he blocked. The sparring continued for a few minutes, each one silently fending off the other's attacks.

"And if you can't tell the difference?" She asked eventually. "What then?" The swords met again in a loud clatter of metal, and Law and Summer stood face to face pushing against the other's weapon.

"Then you die." He stated. They pushed away from each other, distancing themselves far enough to safely catch their breaths. Their labored breathing was interrupted by the ringing of a snail phone in Law's pocket.

Pururururu….purururu...gatcha.

"Captain, we're approaching an island." Jean Bart's voice came through the speaker, and Summer smiled. That had to be Elysium.

"How long until we land?" Law asked, leaning against his nodachi once again. Summer glanced over at him, secretly admiring how relaxed he could look in times of stress. She knew Law was just as eager to see Kat gone as her.

"If we continue at this speed, about 2 hours." Law raised a brow.

"That's earlier than we expected."

"Shachi and Penguin found it in the engines to increase the speed a little more. Apparently, they're in a hurry to get there." She could hear the lightness in the ex-captain's voice and couldn't help but smile wider.

"Inform Shachi-ya and Penguin-ya to meet me in the navigation room."

"Aye, Captain." Law hung up and tucked the snail away back into his pocket, glancing over at Summer.

"You're definitely improving." She brightened up at that. "However, you still have a lot to work on. I expect you to down here every night after kitchen duties to train." She sighed, realizing that such a schedule would leave her with little sleep.

' _If it prepares you to kill Viper, then so be it.'_

"Aye, Captain." She said quietly. Law nodded and placed his spotted hat on his head. Pushing through the door, he sent one more smirk her way before he disappeared.

* * *

Pururururur...purururu...pururu...gatcha.

"Shachi, captain wants you and Penguin in the navigation room immediately." The engineer sighed an audible breath of relief. Their means of escape had come.

"Sure, no problem." Hanging up the snail phone, he shouted to his friend who was currently being bear-hugged by the redhead.

"Hey, Penguin! Captain wants us up in navigation!" A relieved smile split across his face and he struggled to free himself from the woman's arms.

"Well, I guess we gotta go! Important navigation stuff to do!" He jogged over to his friend, leaving the envious crew to deal with a pouting Kat. Taking their leave before the captain had a chance to change his mind, they made their way to the navigation deck.

Inside, Jean Bart was at the controls, turning dials and checking radar every few moments or so. Bepo sat beside him, scanning over a map of the Grand Line. They approached the navigators and slumped across the empty seats.

"Thank God you called us!I don't think I could stand another second listening to Kat's laughing." Shachi moaned, covering his ears as if to ward away the shrill tones of the offending sound. Penguin sank to the ground beside him and used the precious time to relax.

Law entered and saw the state of his engineers. He didn't blame them, as he also found spending time with the bubbly woman quite exhausting after five minutes time with her.

"Bart-ya, can you tell anything at this point?" He examined the radar from over Bepo's shoulder, watching as the shape of a shore came into view far on the edge of the screen.

"Not much, though there should be a place to land on the northern side of the island. There's a flat stretch of sand along the shore."

"Is that Elysium?" Shachi asked loudly, to which Law gave him a cold glare. Throwing a hand on his mouth, he realized his mistake. The captain didn't want Kat to know what island it was they were landing on. When Law believed Shachi to know the mistake he made, he turned back to the map of the Grand Line.

"Yes, it is."

"Do we know what it's like?" Penguin asked from the floor. Surprisingly, it was Bepo who answered.

"It's supposed to be a spring climate, and the economy is riding on the textile high that's happening right now. They have several silk mills in the city."

"The people should be wary of pirates, since the marines have claimed the island." Jean Bart stated with a grim expression. Although, his expression was always grim. "It won't be easy to go unnoticed for too long."

"I only plan on staying long enough to get this business over with." Law straightened, turning to the engineers beside him.

"Shachi-ya, Penguin-ya. We want to stay undetected as long as possible. Slow the engines. Time it so we arrive just after nightfall." The two scrambled into action, motivated by the task they were given.

"Aye, Captain!" They called behind them on their way out the door. Law trusted they would easily perform the task and turned back to the navigators, who was awaiting his orders.

"Take us to the northern side and dock there. We'll remain submerged until morning tomorrow."

After receiving their affirmatives, he left the navigation deck to head to his own room. Passing by the mess deck, he glanced inside and saw Kat talking several men's ears off. Sending them a pitying grin, he continued down the hall.

The training room wasn't on his way, but he took a detour down to the little room where he could hear the sounds of Summer's efforts through the door. Risking a glance inside, he saw Summer's back to him, slicing at an imaginary enemy. Her breathing was heavy, and she wiped away the sweat from her forehead several times.

It continued to amaze him how contradictory she was of herself. One moment she was vulnerable and afraid, the next she surprised him with how deadly and merciless her fighting was in battle. Delicate, deadly and, as much as she pinned the term to him, sadistic.

The incident in the infirmary, however, showed him just how fragile she really was. He had noticed the tiny moment of fear that showed in her eyes when he had first kissed her. It was tiny, but still there. It pointed to a side of her that he had yet to discover, and he very much wanted to examine her from all angles.

Thoughts of the kiss led him to remember his own reaction to it. All it had been was a test of sorts, a trial. A gesture to see just how far his affections for her ran. He had gone into it decisive and in control, but that had quickly changed.

Something in him had lost all reason after the initial kiss, and he wasn't sure what to make of it. He had had to force himself out of it, mentally berating himself to stop in order to pull himself together, and that was something he wasn't very fond of. Summer had an inert ability to make him struggle to retain control of his thoughts and feelings, to unconsciously pull him closer to her.

Whether that was a good thing or not, he had no idea.

A loud shout of frustration brought him out of his thoughts, and he suddenly remembered he was standing outside the training room. Looking inside, he discovered Summer sprawled on the floor with the sword laying a feet few away. He smirked as she panted and struggled to catch her breath. Satisfied that she was working hard, he wandered off to his room.

* * *

Pururururu...purururururu...purururururu…

"Hmm?" Summer mumbled, raising her head from the floor an inch to see what it was that had awoken her. Rubbing her eyes, she realized that she had fallen asleep in the training room. She was curled up against the wall, the sword still stuck in the practice dummy where she had left it. Recognizing the snail phone that rang in her jacket pocket, she crawled over to the clothing and pulled it out.

Purururur...gatcha.

"Yes?" She answered sleepily. It was the personal phone she had been given when the crew wanted to contact each other directly.

"We've landed on the island. I want you ready to head out in 15 minutes." Law said before the line hung up.

Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she looked up at the clocked and noticed that it was already 11 pm. Stretching her stiff limbs she gathered up her daggers and jacket and headed towards the mess deck where she knew the rest of the crew would be waiting.

Despite the nervous tension that hung in her belly, a spark of anticipation welled up and set her to grinning.

' _Soon she'll be gone.'_


	36. Night Mission

The full moon loomed high above the little yellow submarine as they cruised silently to the shore. Most of the crew stood waiting in the mess deck for their captain to give the word. Most conversed in whispers, conscious not to awake the sleeping redhead a few doors down.

Summer sat with the rest of them, idly stroking the blade of her daggers as they waited. She noticed movement in front of her and looked up to see Reid and Liam. They too had their weapons at the ready, in case anything went wrong that night.

"Hey, we haven't had the chance to talk in awhile." Reid said lowly, grinning easily. She smiled up at the two of them, but noticed Liam only looked half as easy going as she had last seen him. Summer frowned, concerned.

"Liam, you ok?" He scratched the back of his head nervously.

"Y-yeah, just anxious to get this over with." He kept glancing around the room, but she couldn't figure out what he was looking for.

"Yeah, I think we all want a certain someone off this sub, huh?" Both men nodded, lightening the somewhat awkward tension between them. Shachi and Penguin came over as well, and Summer was glad that she could finally talk to her nakama in peace.

"You've been kinda hard to find since Kat came aboard." Penguin remarked, to which Summer bowed her head. It was true, she hadn't been in any mood since the redhead's arrival to make time for her crewmates. Looking back, she really had been neglecting them.

"Yeah, sorry about that. I was all out of sorts, I guess." Shachi brushed it off with a hand.

"Don't worry about it. Let's just get this whole thing behind us and then you can treat us to some sake later!" Summer smiled, along with everyone else, before Law came into the room. Bepo was behind him carrying his sword. The room immediately quieted down as they waited for their captain to speak.

"The purpose of this mission is to gather information. Report any wealthy homes and mansions, and keep an eye out for any civilians that resemble Kat." The crew nodded their understanding, but Law continued. "You'll go in teams of two. Each team will be assigned a section of the city. Gather what you can and be back before 4 am."

Men started pairing off, getting instructions from the captain and exiting the room, but Summer wasn't sure what to do. Shachi and Penguin were going as a group while Liam and Reid quickly partnered up. As much as she loved everyone in the crew, she was hoping to catch up with one of her closer nakama. A large body approached from her left and she glanced up in surprise at Jean Bart.

His stoic expression hadn't changed, but the emotionless eyes that she usually saw were softer. Knowing that he wasn't one to usually initiate conversation, she took it upon herself to start. "Care if I accompany you?" He simply nodded, and she smiled pleasantly back.

They went towards the door, passing Law who observed everyone's movement. Summer caught his eye and she gave a little salute as they brushed past. He raised a brow but didn't respond.

* * *

Despite being almost midnight, the air was pleasantly warm thanks to the spring climate of the island. A light breeze made her hair flutter softly in the wind. They had docked on the north side, farther away from the city so they weren't detected. Already, she could see several teams running towards the town. Looking to Jean Bart, they gave each other a nod before jogging off in their designated section of the city.

For being as large as he was, the ex-captain was expert at moving silently. The two made minimal noise as they ran along the beach, and then the short grass as the terrain changed the closer they got to the city. Neither spoke as they ran, content to keep to themselves for now.

Once at the edge of the city, they dashed into a darkened alley before a salesman could spot them. Catching their breath, Summer took the opportunity to observe around them.

The streets were lit up far past what they really needed to be. They were brighter than any lamp post Summer had ever seen. By contrast, the alleyways were dark and menacing. Along the streets, tall golden trees decorated the walkways.

The architecture was nothing like she had ever seen; most buildings were built of darker, metal materials. Taller buildings had neon signs stretching the height of them, sporting fancy sayings like 'Flamingo Pub' and 'The Seamaiden: Ladies Club and Bar,' though from the propaganda outside Summer doubted any of the women they were advertising were still maidens.

The people looked just as strange. The men sported vests and suits, topped with black hats and black shoes. Many carried a cane. But what struck Summer the most was the women. Their outfits couldn't be described any way other than flashy. Most dresses were bright, sparkly colors layered with long silky threads. On their heads, feathers or jewels lined their shiny hair. Laughing girls, whistling men, leering drunks, smoke-filled air, the busy streets...it was all very overwhelming.

Jean Bart had joined her and was now surveying the city as well. "Doesn't Elysium mean paradise?" Summer questioned, more to herself than anyone. "This doesn't seem like a paradise.

"A sinner's paradise, maybe." Jean Bart replied. She nodded in agreement before gesturing that they head farther down the street.

"These alleyways should let us get around without being seen." They hurried farther down the back of the buildings, cautiously skirting around couples making out. Not that Summer worried; most of them were too preoccupied to notice someone creeping through the dark.

Once she thought they had gone far enough, she waved the navigator forward towards the opening to a street again.

"What the hell?" She muttered. This section of the city was much different than before. They were clearly on the edge of the main street, and just to the left they could see large mills and fields of cotton. The farmland sat right on the edge of the raging streets.

"Bepo mentioned their economy was profiting from the textiles industry." Jean Bart commented quietly. It was much too late in the evening for people to be working the fields, but Summer looked nonetheless. She shook her head, turning back to their objective.

"How are we supposed to find Kat's family's mansion when everything looks like it's worth about a million beli?" Jean Bart pointed to something in the city. Turning to look, Summer saw a large billboard with a scantily dressed woman. She was lounging on a silken couch, draped in the finest of cloth. The woman's red hair contrasted with the dark purple of the background. Underneath her picture were the words 'WINSLOW SILKS: THE FINEST CLOTH OF THE GRANDLINE.'

"Look familiar?" He asked. She peered closer and noticed that the woman's face looked strikingly similar to that of the annoying redhead that currently resided with them. It was then that she noticed several other posters similar to that one scattered about the street. This Winslow woman was the icon of wealth, it seemed.

"Could be a coincidence." Summer said, not wanting to jump to conclusions. Suddenly, something on a nearby wall caught her eye. It was a missing person's poster.

"Stay here." She told him before he could object, casually walking out of the alleyway and onto the street.

She felt sorely out of place on the busy street, weaving past drunken men with girls on each arm. Approaching the wall littered with old posters, she took a closer look at the poster. Kat's picture blazed the top of the paper.

**'MISSING: KATRINA WINSLOW.**

**LAST SEEN ON 02/6/13 IN THE EASTERN PORT MARKET.**

**2,000,000 BELI REWARD FOR SAFE RETURN. IF SPOTTED, CONTACT MARINES.'**

Snatching the picture from the wall, she jogged back over to the alley where Jean Bart sat waiting.

"Don't run off by yourself. There are many marines here." He lectured when she was safely back in the darkness. Shrugging, she handed him the paper.

"I'd bet anything that the woman on the billboard is Kat's mother. I don't think many other people could afford a 2 million beli reward for their daughter."

The ex-captain glanced over the paper, reading each detail for information.

"Is there an address?" Shaking his head, he stuffed the paper into his jacket pocket to show to the captain later.

"So, now what?" She asked, leaning against the wall.

"Let's keep moving. Maybe something will come up."

* * *

"We are not lost!" Reid shouted, walking by Liam down the main street. Liam looked at the map the tourist guy had given them. Turning it every which way trying to figure out where they were, he turned to his friend.

"Yeah? Then where are we?" He shoved the map in his hands.

"Easy! We're…" He looked over the map in confusion. He scratched his head, an uncertain expression crossing his face. "Ok...yeah, we're lost."

Sighing heavily Liam took back the map. Rolling it up, he stuffed it back in his pocket. "Let's go ask someone."

"Wait! The captain didn't want us to be spotted!" Liam hit his friend over the head with his fist.

"Baka! Then why are we in the middle of the street?" Frowning, Reid stuck out a finger.

"Because you said we would blend in with the crowd!"

"I did?"

"Yes!" Reid shook his head in wonder. How could he forget something he said five minutes ago?

"Ah...yeah, I did didn't I?" It was Liam's turn to scratch his head in embarrassment. Reid sighed, slumping over.

"What would Captain think about this?" He moaned, shuffling off further into the crowd.

* * *

"What about that one?" Shachi asked, pointed off into the distance where a tall building could be seen. Penguin pulled out their binoculars and aimed it at the structure. It was a darker grey, almost black building. He shook his head.

"Nah, not fancy enough." Sighing, the two went back to searching.

"You know, it was a good idea to get on the rooftops to look for the mansion!" Penguin added positively.

"Yeah, I just hope we find it soon. My thighs are killing me from the climb up here!" Shachi complained, thinking about the many flights of stairs they had to climb to get to the roof.

"Well, it'll be easier on the way down. Oi, what about that one?"

The building in questions was a looming building, made of the finest of metals on the very southern point of town. Shaking his head, Shachi put down the binoculars.

"Nah, that's not it."

"How can you tell?" Penguin asked.

"Rich people like to build with white marble and stuff like that. You know, to make them look... _godlier_  or something." His friend gave a nod before going to scan the city again.

Several minutes past but no luck came with finding the building. Penguin started getting bored, and his gaze slowly fell to the street below them. The people were pretty small at this height, and he looked through his binoculars to get a better look.

"Man, now that I look at it, there's a ton of marines around here. They're everywhere!" Shachi noted, slowly moving his binoculars across the people down below, joining in on the boredom that Penguin was experiencing. It was true, marine uniforms could be spotted all over the street below them. The bright blue and white stood plainly out against the vibrant darker colors of the citizens' attire.

"Shachi! Look at that lady with the black dress and red hair. Does she look rich or what?"

"Yeah, dude. Wait, red hair? Maybe that's a family member of Kat?" They looked closer, focusing on the woman carrying lots of shopping bags on her arms. Behind her, four men carried the rest of her purchases, each toting more bags than they could really comfortably hold.

"Get a description just in case." They wrote down what she looked like on a piece of paper and what direction she was going.

"Wait! I see an engine parts shop down there!" Shachi exclaimed, examining a storefront closely. "They have turbine parts for only 699 beli!"

"No way, let me see!"

* * *

Law sat down at one of the tables of the mess deck, nursing a mug of coffee in one hand and a textbook in the other. He would much prefer to read in his own quarters, but he needed to be present when the search parties returned. He glanced at the clock on the wall. 2:58 pm.

He didn't expect the crew back until at least another half hour, but he wanted to be sure. If there was any trouble he would get a call. And he would be prepared for it.

A light pattern of footsteps echoed down the hall and he narrowed his eyes. He was hoping this wouldn't happen, but he had accounted for it in his plans.

"Law?" Kat asked sleepily as she meandered into the mess deck. She was dressed in a simple green long sleeved shirt and pants. Her hair was slightly mussed from tossing about in bed, and her hands rubbed at her tired eyes. "Is something wrong?"

Taking another sip from his cup, he flipped another page in the book before answering.

"Everything's fine, now go back to sleep." Instead, she continued towards the table and sat across from him. He resisted the urge to sigh.

"But I can't sleep!" She whined, resting her head on her arms. "Why are you still up anyway?" He gestured to the book and she smiled. "What's it about?"

"The Cause and Treatment of Leprosy." He stated in a monotone, mostly hoping the gruesomeness of the textbook would scare her away. She 'oohed' in apparent fascination even though he was 100% sure she didn't know what it even meant.

"You're so smart!" She smiled, and he frowned in response.

"Kat-ya, you should really go to sleep." Her face sported a pout and she crossed her arms.

"Not until you sleep too. Reading late at night is bad for you!" Sighing, he shook his head at her narrow-minded answer.

"The book isn't the only reason I'm not sleeping." She leaned closer, peering into his face annoyingly.

"Then, what's wrong?" Deciding that telling her a little bit of the truth might sate her curiosity, he leaned back a little ways to distance themselves.

"I've always had trouble sleeping. Reading helps me relax." She held her head with both hands and grinned.

"Oh, I see. So you just can't relax? Is that it?"

"I suppose…"

"Let me help you then!"

Before he could ask what she meant by that, she had leaned forward and placed her lips on his. It happened so fast he couldn't react. His eyes widened in surprise, but before he could push her away, she broke it off and smiled widely at him.

"Did that help?" She asked. His eyes narrowed. He'd had enough with playing nice to her.

' _Idiot girl...'_

Standing and leaning across the small table, he gripped both of her shoulders and pushed her into the back of the chair roughly, not caring that his hold on her was tight enough to bruise. She gave a gasp and he leaned closer, an obvious scowl on his face.

"I don't recommend doing that again. Unless you want me to kill you." He growled, pressing her harder into the hard chair. Her eyes widened with fear, and Law fed upon the fear he could place there. She pushed his hands away and ran towards her room without another word. He relaxed again once the door shut loudly, and his mood was instantly better.

Glancing at the clock, he noticed it was now 3:24 am.

' _The crew should be back soon.'_

As if on cue, Jean Bart and Summer walked through the mess deck door.


	37. How About Down?

"You're so smart!"

Summer and Jean Bart froze in the hallway, listening closely to the sound again. They exchanged a cautious look. There was definitely conversation in the mess deck, and they remained silent. She recognized that god-awful high pitched voice of hers and as quietly as she could, crept forward towards the door. She gestured for Jean Bart to stay where he was. His large frame might cause more commotion than she wanted. He gave a quick nod in understanding. The door was opened just a crack, enough for her to see out but not wide enough to be seen looking.

Law was seated at one of the tables with Kat across from him. She was leaning closer to Law than she found comfortable. Law's back was to her, but Kat was so focused on Law that Summer might as well have been standing full in the doorway and she wouldn't have noticed. Turning towards Jean Bart, she mouthed 'Kat' and he nodded. She peered out the door again to watch.

"Kat-ya, you should really go to sleep." Came Law's tired voice. In that moment, Summer felt pity towards the sadistic captain. From posture alone he looked exhausted. Remembering that the dark circles under his eyes had started to grow in the past few days, she wondered idly how long it had been since he had last slept.

"Not until you sleep too. Reading late at night is bad for you!"

' _No, it isn't.'_ Summer thought with an eye roll.

"The book isn't the only reason I'm not sleeping." Kat's brows furrowed in blatant, almost comical, concern. It almost looked fake.

"Then, what's wrong?" She asked. His head gave a tiny shake and his body moved away from hers just slightly, and Summer knew that Law was about fed up with the woman's presence.

"I've always had trouble sleeping. Reading helps me relax."

"Oh, I see. So you just can't relax? Is that it?" Resting her head in both hands, she had this stupid grin on her face, as if she were mocking him. For some reason, Summer didn't appreciate her making fun of a completely understandable problem. She herself had trouble sleeping most nights, her thoughts plagued by horrific nightmares.

"I suppose…" Law answered hesitantly.

"Let me help you then!"

Summer's eye twitched unconsciously as Kat leaned forward and kissed Law outright. She couldn't see the captain's face, but he wasn't pushing her away. She did notice his hands twitched, though. The kiss only lasted a second before Kat pulled away again, a triumphant smile on her face.

' _Did she just...'_

"Did that help?" It took a moment before Law did anything. He sat there for a moment before suddenly pressing the girl against the wall by her arms, a dainty gasp escaping her mouth as her back hit the chair. The sight was so similar to Summer's own experience two days previous that she initially believed he was going to kiss her back. It hurt her, that he would do such a thing, even though there was nothing between them.

' _Right?'_  She questioned herself. His dark voice cut through her fears before they could manifest.

"I don't recommend doing that again. Unless you want me to kill you." A small smile appeared on Summer's face and it grew as the horror in Kat's eyes became apparent.

' _Ha! That's right you little tramp!'_  She thought as the woman wrenched herself away from the angry captain and took off down the hall. She could hear the bedroom door slam and deciding that it was safe to emerge from the hallway. Standing up, she entered the room.

At the sound, Law twisted in his seat and faced them. Summer couldn't wipe the smug look off of her face and gave up masking it. She sensed Jean Bart enter behind her.

"Having trouble?" She asked, crossing her arms and cocking her hip. Law raised a brow and closed the book on the table.

"I would have liked to avoid a situation like that." Summer didn't miss the inconspicuous swipe of his sleeve across his mouth, fanning the flames of her ego.

' _You disgust him! I knew it!'_  Where these thoughts were coming from kind of scared her, but felt great at the same time.

"What did you find?" His voice interrupted her internal celebration and Jean Bart took out the missing poster from his pocket. Taking the offered paper, Law glanced over it and narrowed his eyes.

"Winslow...That name sounds familiar." He stated, dropping the poster on the table.

"We saw posters all around town for Winslow Silks. Apparently, it's their biggest textile factory. They are the reason the city's become so prosperous." Summer dropped into a nearby chair and relaxed, happy to be out of the trashed streets.

Jean Bart remained standing. "The image of Winslow is a red-haired woman with similar features to Kat." Law nodded.

"Why don't we just turn her in nicely and collect the reward money?" Summer asked, and watched as Law's face broke out in a wolfish grin.

"What's the fun in that? I think it's been too long since we've broken the law, don't you think?" She laughed at the expression on his face and nodded.

"I suppose, just let me in on the action." It struck her then how normal of a conversation this was between them. It wasn't usual they would get along so easily, but the feeling wasn't unpleasant. She was brought out of her thoughts by the captain's voice.

"You two should go get some rest, you'll need it for tomorrow." Summer sighed in relief, trudging off towards the comfort of her bed.

* * *

Several other crewmen arrived shortly afterwards. Reports of the red-headed woman and Kat's missing person's poster made up the bulk of the news brought back to him. A few commented on the unusually high number of marines occupying the island, which didn't give Law much cause to worry.

Bepo, whom he had sent to find out how long a log pose set, had informed him it was a short 8 hours. Given the fact that they had arrived in the dead of night, Law was confident they would execute the ransom and be off the island before the marines were getting the initial reports.

Shachi and Penguin, who were quite ecstatic over something they had discovered about the city, informed him of a possible sighting of the Winslow woman. Their description and direction of travel was very insightful, and based on their rough maps of the city, Law was fairly certain which residence belonged to Kat's wealthy family.

All that was left was to confirm this fact.

* * *

"Reid, we need to be getting back. It's almost 4." He checked his watch and sure enough, it was 3:52. Liam glanced around at the many marines that seemed to materialize from every alley on the street. None seemed to notice that they were there. They must be either blind or were intent on finding someone else because the jolly roger on their jumpsuits should have been spotted immediately.

"I know, but which street do we take? I think we're lost again." The layout of the city was confusing and neither of the men could remember Shachi's drawing from the briefing on the sub. Mobs of people kept walking in front of them and they began to get disoriented and distracted. Liam had a pounding headache, most likely from the combination of loud noise and smoke-filled air that hung low to the ground everywhere they walked.

"Let's just take one all the way to the edge of the city and circle around until we find the sub." After unsuccessfully trying again to understand the city map, Reid nodded and tossed it into a nearby trash bin. The two slowly made their way to the alleys, struggling to stay together in the throng of passersby. One woman flipped them off as Liam accidently bumped into her back. Her male counterpart gave them a dark look before dragging the obviously high woman back into the crowd.

Wary of the many marines prowling the streets, they darted into the darkened alley and gave a sigh of relief. They stopped and rested before going any further.

"So, where do we go? Left or right?" Reid asked, glancing at the wilderness outside the city boundaries.

"How about down?" A male voice said behind them.

They didn't have time to turn around, as both of them felt a hard blow to the head before they hit the ground. Neither of them saw the attacker before their vision turned black.


	38. Locked Up

"Reid and Liam aren't back yet, Captain." Bepo commented, sniffing the air to try to find their scents. He couldn't pick out either of them, and he started to worry. Law glanced at the bear and leaned back in his chair. The clock on the wall read 4:45. It was unlike his head medic and mechanic to be late like this. He glanced at the map on the table, showing the city divided up into multiple sections.

"What area were Liam-ya and Reid-ya sent to?" Bepo pointed to a block on the in the very heart of the city, almost straight in the middle. Frowning, Law found the section where Shachi and Penguin had been assigned. The direction they said the red-haired woman had been going was directly towards the area his two missing crewmen had gone. It was quite a coincidence.

Law, however, didn't believe in coincidences.

* * *

One look at the clock told him it was almost 5. Kat would be awake soon and the second part of their mission would begin.

Casper had stalked into the kitchen at about 5:10. Summer followed him a few minutes later, giving Law a yawn and a small wave in greeting. Several men meandered through the door at the smell of eggs and bacon drifting through the submarine. Kat finally made her appearance after most of the men had fully eaten. By this time, it was 6:00 and Law was beginning to get antsy.

As discreetly as possible, he gestured for Summer to come to him. She made one more trip into the kitchen before emerging with his food, using it as an excuse to talk to him without looking suspicious.

"What? Is something wrong?" She asked, noticing the grave expression he wore.

"Liam-ya and Reid-ya haven't returned." Her eyes widened slightly but she kept her face blank, aware that Kat was only a few tables down.

"What are we going to do?"

"I'm working on it."

Summer gave a worried look and left to continue serving the meal. There wasn't much he could do to help her worry besides getting them back.

* * *

"Kat-ya, I have a job for you to do today." Law said, watching as the girl's face lit up enthusiastically.

"Ooh! What is it? What is it?" She was practically jumping up and down from excitement and the captain had to resist from rolling his eyes.

"I need you to assist Casper-ya in the back room today. We need to do inventory to see what supplies we are low on."

"Awesome! I can do it, I promise!" Casper stood waiting in the kitchen doorway, watching as Kat ran into the room behind him. Catching the older cook's eye, Law nodded slightly. Casper responded likewise and followed behind the girl.

The rest of the crew was watching their captain carefully. He looked around and nodded, silently ordering them outside. They all rose and left the sub, stopping a few paces away to wait for Captain's orders.

"There has been a small adjustment to the plan." Murmurs went up through the men before Law continued. "Reid-ya and Liam-ya did not return from last night. Therefore, several teams will be sent to find and rescue them. The rest will find the Winslow mansion." He nodded to Bepo, who tossed a map on the ground. The men gathered around it.

"Thanks to Shachi-ya and Penguin-ya's information, we can assume the mansion is somewhere in this region." He said, indicating a couple of blocks highlighted with red. "I'm confident Reid-ya and Liam-ya's capture is the Winslow woman's doing. Those sent to find them will also be instructed to look in this area, as well as the surrounding sections in case they are being held in a different location." There was a blue highlight around the area Reid and Liam had searched the night before.

"Shachi-ya, and Penguin-ya. You will look for the missing two." Law continued to list off names and assignments, sending them off as soon as they were given. He didn't want to waste any more time.

"Summer-ya, you will accompany Bepo and I." She nodded, stepping forward and checking to make sure her daggers were in their sheaths.

"We're going after Reid and Liam, right?" She asked.

"No." She stopped dead and glared at him.

"Are you kidding me? I need to be out there looking for them!" She narrowed her eyes, clenching her hands into fists. He glared back with equal strength, angry over the fact that she was questioning his decisions.

"There are plenty of other men looking for them. We need to focus on our main task as well."

"I can't believe-"

"Do you not trust that the others will find them?" She looked down and scowled. Struggling internally for a few moments, she sighed and crossed her arms.

"Fine. Let's just get this over with." She mumbled. Satisfied she would continue without any more arguing, he nodded and headed off in the direction of the city.

* * *

"Dammit…" Liam muttered, his consciousness slowly returning to him. He opened his eyes a crack, only to find darkness in front of him. It was the thickest darkness he had ever come to encounter, unable to even see his own body in the stuff. Something from above dripped onto his shoulder, and Liam only hoped it was water. When he flinched at the cold liquid, he noticed his ankles and wrists were restrained to a chair.

Slowly regaining cognitive ability, he put together the pieces of information he knew. Wherever he was, it was probably underground. He was restrained, most likely to a chair from the feel of the wood on his back. He couldn't hear anyone else down here…

Reid! He almost forgot his friend had been there with him!

"Reid?" He croaked out. His throat was dry, making it difficult to talk.

"Ugh…" A low groan and the rustling of fabric came from directly in front of him somewhere. It wasn't too far but not right in front of him. "Liam?"

"Yeah, it's me. You ok?" Reid broke into a coughing fit. The noise was uncomfortably loud in the dark confines of the room. He glanced to the right as if worried they would alert whoever it was who kidnapped them that they were awake.

"Yeah...I'm fine. Just got a  _huge_  headache."

"Did you get a look at the guy?" Liam asked, pulling uselessly at the ropes around his wrists. "Shit…" He said when the thick cord dug deeply into his skin.

"Nah...It happened too fast." He could hear Reid struggling with his own bonds.

A door on top of some stairs to their left burst open, flooding the room with light and blinding the two occupants. They couldn't do anything as they were forced to shut their eyes. Several footsteps came down the stairs and towards the two pirates.

"Hey, they're awake, huh?" A man's voice said, stalking closer to Liam.

"Damn. I wanted to smack 'em around a little before they realized what was happening." Another man's voice chuckled behind the first.

Liam's chin was jerked upwards and to the left, caught in the firm grip of one of the men. Cracking open an eye, he stared into the masked face of a brute of a man. He towered over the chair Liam was tied to, but he couldn't see what he looked like or what sort of expression he wore.

Glancing over in Reid's direction, he saw another masked man grab his friend's neck and squeeze. Reid's eyes began to bulge and he struggled against his restraints.

"Let...him go!" Liam forced his head free, glaring at his antagonist with as much venom as he could muster in his pathetic state. The other man turned to look at him, slowly letting go of Reid's neck, much to his relief.

"So...we got ourselves a little hero, haven't we Raz?" The man taunted, stepping closer to him. Setting his jaw, Liam stared straight ahead and stayed silent, determined not to be affected by the taunt.

The one he assumed was Raz took a fistful of his hair and pulled sharply backwards, wrenching his neck. "Ah!" He let slip a grunt of pain, only egging on the two brutes. Raz smirked.

"What says you? Should we give him a little taste of what's in store?" The other one cracked his knuckles and brought his fist back for a punch. Liam prepared himself for the blow, but it never came.

"Raz! Lupis! Enough!"

The two men paused, looking up at the very commanding feminine voice in the doorway. The pirates looked up at the silhouette of a woman, arms crossed and hip cocked to one side. She slowly took steps down the stairs, long legs flashing through the slit of her black dress as she descended. It was silent except for her heels hitting the wood.

"We don't want our  _guests_  to feel threatened now, do we? As a proper host, I'm obliged to make them feel comfortable." She purred, leaning down towards Liam when she was only a pace away. Her slim fingers gently ran up his neck, flicking upwards when they grazed his chin.

"Such a handsome face...It's quite a shame you waste your good looks being a petty criminal." Her lips twitched upwards in a smug smile as Liam narrowed his eyes.

"Who are you?" Reid called out from the other side of the room, glaring at the woman from his confined position. She turned and grinned at him.

"Oh! How rude of me. Allow me to introduce myself." Standing, she tossed her red hair until she was satisfied with it and placed one hand on her hip.

"I am Scarlet Winslow. Welcome to my home!"


	39. Punishment

"Where is she?" Scarlet asked lowly, peering into Reid's eyes. She stood to the side, her arms crossed and an expression of impatience on her face. He defiantly stared back into her chocolate eyes, challenging her with the last bit of courage he possessed.

Her eyes narrowed and she nodded to Lupis who stood in front of him. The brute smirked before backhanding him, whipping his head to the side with a loud smack. He grunted, struggling to keep his shout of pain in. It would be fatal to show weakness at this point, so he bit his lip stubbornly.

"I'll ask one more time." The woman leaned down farther, her faces only inches from his own. "Where is she?" Reid's eyes flicked over to Liam who was still shadowed by Raz. Liam gave him the tiniest of smiles. The smallest of gestures, but it held the greatest of comforts. Finding encouragement in his friend, he locked gazes with the woman once again.

He remained silent, even going so far as to smirk a little. The woman's nose wrinkled in either disgust or disapproval and she nodded harshly to Lupis. However, Reid found it hard to retain his indifferent attitude when the man took hold of one of his fingers and pushed back suddenly. A loud snap echoed through the room, causing Liam to wince at his friend's pain.

"Ah!" Reid yelled, straining against the chair and ropes holding him down.

"Hey! Leave him alone!" Liam yelled, trying once again to yank his limbs out of the rope bonds. Raz stepped between the two men and roughly slapped the medic.

"Urgh…" The blow left him dazed, but he still heard the sickening snap of another of his nakama's fingers as well as the painful scream it produced.

"AH!" The mechanic gritted his teeth and squeezed his eyes shut against the tears threatening to fall, willing them back with every fiber of his being. He would  _not_  cry in front of these people. Lupis followed up with a punch straight to the mouth. He bit his tongue and the muscle began to bleed filling his mouth with the red liquid. He panted hard against the pain.

"Darling, the pain will stop if you only tell me what I want to know." Scarlet cooed, gently stroking Reid jaw with her long, painted fingers. His head recoiled from her touch, knocking back into the chair.

Reid's eyes flared to life in an instant, locking onto the woman before him. On a furious impulse, an impromptu act of bravery, or just sheer stupidity, Reid spat blood onto Scarlet's face, watching with pleasure as she reeled backwards in disgust.

"I'm not your darling…" He muttered, not bothered in the least that his blood was now dripping down his neck and staining his uniform.

"Reid…" Liam whispered, on the verge of tears for his friend. He watched in furious uselessness as Raz took a metal pipe from the ground and swung it at Reid's head. There was a sickening crunch and the mechanic slumped forward in his chair, blood flowing out of the wound on his temple.

* * *

"REID!" Liam screamed, hyperventilation causing the adrenaline to pump faster in his body. He clenched and unclenched his fists, itching to get his hands on his captors so he could kill them himself. He bared his teeth as Scarlet turned to him and walked closer. She had cleaned her face of as much blood as she could with her furry scarf.

"Now, darling, I hope you will be a little more... _cooperative_  than your friend here. It doesn't have to be this way. This whole nightmare can be over. Just tell me where Katrina and your crew is."

"Go to hell!" He yelled, snapping the woman's already thin patience.

"There's no use in resisting! Can't you see that your crew will never find you? You won't be rescued, there's no one that's going to bust in the door and come to save you! YOU ARE DEAD! SO TELL ME WHERE SHE IS! SHE'S ALL I HAVE LEFT!" A few seconds of silence followed her frantic outburst.

"You're wrong...you're wrong." Liam muttered, forcing his breathing back to normal. With bowed head, he chuckled darkly and shook his head. "You think you've won, that we'll just give in to your demands now that you've roughed us up a bit." His laughter became a little more crazed, going so far as to cause Scarlet to take a step back.

Raising his head, he locked eyes with the redhead. "You've got no idea, do you?" He took her confused expression as his answer. "Our nakama wouldn't just abandon us. They-" He broke into a coughing fit before being able to speak again. "They aren't like that. Nakama mean more than anything onboard that little yellow submarine, and I'll be damned if I don't uphold that reputation myself."

Scarlet looked at him like he had grown a second head, her chest rising and falling unsteadily. A few strands of hair had fallen out of her bun, and she looked just as crazy as Liam thought he must look. Nonetheless he continued.

"Nakamaship is everything to us. If you think that we're just gonna break down at the first sign of pain, you're fucking out of your mind! I don't expect someone of your  _social standing_  to understand something like that, seeing as your own daughter ran away from you. I guess I should feel pity for you, since she's all you've got. But to be honest, I can't find it in me to care." His voice was low with anger.

"So you can threaten us all you like, lady. You can tell your big strong muscle men to pound the everliving shit out of us all you want. But we will  _never_  sell out our nakama.  _ **Never.**_ And you will  _never_ convince me otherwise."

Everything was silent, save for Liam's staggered breathing and the small drips of water coming from the ceiling. Scarlet continued to stare at him, but he couldn't tell what he was thinking. It took several seconds, maybe closer to a minute before anyone moved. It was Lupis that did, scowling down at the medic with hatred.

"No one talks to the Mrs. like that!" He raised a fist to assumably knock him out as Reid had, but Scarlet raised a hand to stop him.

"Enough." She muttered, never taking her eyes off the man. Liam was happy to return the gesture, staring back with as much fury and conviction as he could muster. Her two brutes looked at her in confusion.

"But, Mrs. Winslow, speaking to you in such a manner warrants nothing short of death." Raz said, gesturing down at the pirate and speaking as though he wasn't even there.

"We can't leave him unpunished." Finished Lupis. It seemed Scarlet had recovered from Liam's outburst, and she gave a very small, very wolfish grin.

"And he will be." She purred, inclining her head just slightly. Breaking eye contact for the first time, she glanced evenly at the two muscle men.

"Fetch my riding crop. It should be in the stables." The two smirked and started towards the door. "Oh, and one more thing." She said, stopping them before they were out the door.

Her smirk grew and she returned her sadistic gaze to Liam. The look alone sent a chill up his spine, but when she spoke, he began to panic internally.

"Get the branding iron."

* * *

"Bepo, have you caught their scent?" The bear shook his head, dropping his head in depression.

"I'm sorry." He muttered, and Summer sighed. She patted his head fondly.

"It's alright, just keeping trying, alright? We've gotta find them." He nodded and brought his nose to the ground again.

Glancing around, Summer noticed Law frowning intensely at an alley wall ahead of them. She jogged up beside him, feeling surprise when he jumped slightly from her sudden appearance. Usually, she could never startle him, but it was apparent he was in deep thought, too distracted to notice her beside him.

"We've searched the whole area they were assigned and there's not a trace of them." He growled, grip tightening on his nodachi. Summer wasn't sure what to do. It was obvious that the captain was suffering from the loss of his two crewmates, in his own way. However, Summer had never been very good at cheering a person up when they were sad.

Law was a different matter altogether. How does one comfort the Surgeon of Death, exactly? As far as she knew, he wasn't one for touching. But she still felt like she needed to do something. Hesitantly bringing up her hand, she placed it on his shoulder.

"We'll find them." She said lowly, before walking off to search the new area. She felt his hard stare drilling a hole in her back, but she didn't say anything about it.

* * *

They had searched an adjacent area to the one before, but still no sign of the two missing crewmembers. At one point, they had crossed paths with another search party. From the depressed expressions and slumped shoulders, they hadn't been having any better luck. Turning down an alley to take them to the next area, Bepo started sniffing the air with greater intensity. Law noticed immediately.

"What is it?" He asked, and Bepo started to jog forward.

"I smell Reid." He said. Summer and Law exchanged a glance and ran after the running bear. Bepo disappeared down an alley on the left. Rounding the corner, the two stopped short when they saw Bepo leaning down to pick something up. Law came up beside him to examine what it was.

"What did you find?" Summer asked, and Law held up something.

"Reid-ya's goggles."

Summer put her hand on her mouth in sadness, hoping that finding it meant the worst, but she had to keep her hopes up. Giving up now would do them nothing. Squaring her shoulders, she turned to the polar bear.

"Can you pick up their scent from here, Bepo?" At this point, she couldn't take the pleading tone out of her voice but she couldn't find it in her to care. Two of her nakama were missing. Her pride didn't matter at this point.

Bepo sniffed the ground a few times, lingering around the dirt where the goggled had been. His nose brought him towards the opening of the alley, out into the main street where the mobs of people had thinned somewhat in the early morning.

He lifted his head and stared into the street. "The scent is extremely faint, but it's there. It will be difficult to keep it when there are so many people around, but I can try."

"Lead the way, Bepo." Law said, gesturing for him to go first. Nodding resolutely, Bepo began to follow the trail.

Summer glanced anxiously around the oblivious people, clasping her hands in front of her chest out of nervous habit.

' _Please...Be alive when we get there. Don't die on us now…'_

* * *

Pururururur...pururururu...puru...gatcha.

"Captain? This is Penguin. We found that lady's mansion. Where are you?" Law gripped the snail phone a little tighter, gritting his teeth.

"Just west of the central sector of the city." Law looked up at a street sign. "We're Radmon Square right now." A relieved sigh came from the engineer on the other end.

"You're just a few blocks from the mansion, then. If you head south southwest you'll get to it. It's a giant white marble building, you can't miss it." Shachi must have grabbed the snail from his friend.

"Good work." Law stated. He was about to hang up, but Shachi interrupted him.

"Captain," He sounded worried, a far cry from his previously relieved tone. "Bring 'em back for us, alright?" Law smirked.

"That's exactly what I intend to do." He hung up the receiver and looked to Summer and Bepo. They were watching him expectantly.

"Let's introduce ourselves, shall we?" With two nods in response, they trotted off towards the Winslow mansion.


	40. Infiltration

The mansion was comprised of white marble, towering high above the surrounding homes and shops. While the Winslow household looked fit for a king's residency, the rest of the city wasn't as spectacular. Black, degraded stone made up the other buildings. This was obviously the shady portion of the town where the more illegal activity would reign. There was a lot less traffic on this street, but the occasional drunk or scantily dressed woman would cross the path in front of them.

The trio hid in an alley facing the front of the mansion, eyeing the guards armed with guns outside. Any other occasion would have seen them sprinting towards the door, cutting down anyone they met along the way. This time they were hesitant to make such an entrance. One wrong move and both their crewmates could be killed.

"How do we get in?" Summer asked, crouching low by the dirty wall. Obscenities were graffitied on the stone, most of them directed to someone named Dave. If the situation wasn't so tense, Summer would've laughed at some of the insults. Poor Dave.

"If we can get close enough, I can teleport us in. We would need to be in range, and the walls are rather distant to the house." Law replied, peering at the pristine walls that bordered the property. "There's a tree on the left perimeter. Perhaps that would get us close enough." He turned to Bepo.

"Can you smell them?" The bear lifted his nose and sniffed, concentrating with a scrunched face.

"Just barely. Both scents are extremely faint, more so Reid's than Liam's." For some reason, this made him concerned. The doubt written on his face was alarming, and she began to fear the worst. Summer swallowed hard.

"What...what does that mean exactly?" He shook his head sadly.

"I'm not sure, but it could only mean he's not conscious. The body gives off a stronger scent when they are awake." This made her heart clench up instinctively, and her eyes widened. She didn't want to think about the alternative...

"God, I hope they're alright." She muttered, and Bepo took this as disapproval on his part. His head dropped.

"I'm sorry." She sighed and patted his head.

"Hey, let's just get through this, ok? We'll bring them back, safe and sound." Even as she said it, she struggled to convince herself it was true. Law's concerned glance wasn't very reassuring either.

"We'll have to sneak past the guards near the wall to make it to the tree." He said, shifting focus away from their dark thoughts. The men in front of them walked in casual but predictable patterns, always taking several steps to the right before spinning on their heel and heading the other direction. The amount of men covering the walls made it unlikely they would go unspotted.

"We'll need a distraction, don't you think?" She asked, and Law nodded.

"I don't suppose you have any ideas?" She smirked, already thinking of one scenario.

"Hmm...You don't have a bottle of booze, do you?" He gave her a questioning glance, but shook his head. Searching the dingy alleyway, her gaze landed on a mostly empty beer bottle. She took an experimental sniff, recoiling at the rancid poured a little on the front of her shirt, making her body smell like the foul liquid.

"I'll get them to gather at the front, so try to get in an alley on the left side. Run to the tree when they are all distracted." Giving a mischievous little wink, she walked out into the open towards the mansion.

* * *

What on earth was she planning? In their new spot further left of the first alley, Law watched in fascinated curiosity as Summer pretended to drunkenly stumbled towards the entrance guards. He had to admit, if he didn't know any better he would've guessed she were actually drunk. Every few steps she would drag her feet and pretend to stumble slightly before 'barely' catching herself and continuing forward. When she was about halfway to the house, he noticed that all the guards' eyes were on her.

Even from this distance, he could hear her high-than-average giggle and fake hiccup. A few people walked past her and she stumbled into them in her 'drunken stupor.' One guard was approaching her cautiously, gun still in hand but not drawn.

"Ma'am." He greeted at a polite distance. She stopped and swayed on her feet.

"Well, hellooo Mr. Guard Man! How are YOU this lovely evening?" She asked, giggling in between sentences. The guard gave a small smile and lowered his gun further, seeing Summer as nothing more than a drunk wandering the streets.

"I'm doing rather well. Are you lost?" She gave a wide, maybe too wide, smile.

"Oh, no! Of course not! I know exactly where I'm going!" She walked closer to the man, and by this time had gained the attention of some of the guards nearby. They had stopped walking in their regular patterns, now stopped to watch the scene unfold. Law didn't think they saw much action guarding that wall, and any distraction was obviously a welcome one.

"Ma'am, I think you should put the bottle down now. Perhaps you've had too much-"

"Is this a mansion?" She basically yelled out, seemingly in awe by the blinding white building. Her arms spread wide, and she walked closer to the wall. The bottle slipped from her hand and she started to hug the stone.

"It's so pretttyyyy!" She slurred, and Law restrained himself from laughing. He glanced at the other men, but they hadn't moved away from the wall completely yet. The guard glanced around in confusion, not quite sure what to do with the 'drunken' woman. Holstering his gun, he walked over and gently removed her body from the wall. She gave a cry of protest.

"Ma'am, I think you should make your way home now." She practically threw herself to the ground and pretended to cry, though it sounded real enough.

"But I can't go home! My bastard of a boyfriend cheated on me and now I can't go back!" She wailed, curling into a ball on the grass. She continued to lament how heartbroken she had been when she found out and that now she had nowhere to go. Several of the men walked closer, holstering their weapons. The left wall was completely unguarded now, and Law nodded to the polar bear beside him.

Summer must have realized that she had everyone's attention and worked to maintain it by getting on her knees and grabbing the guard's hand. "Do you think I'm pretty? Do you?" She cried, tearing up further.

Law didn't waste any time, running in a crouch over to the tree with Bepo behind him. None of the guards noticed their sprint across the street and they made it underneath without a problem. He hoisted himself up and was satisfied to see that one of the branches extended out past the wall, allowing him to cross to the other side. He edged closer, Bepo a few feet behind him, judging the distance to the house and the maximum size of one of his rooms.

From his position, he could see Summer clearly. From the looks of it, the guards had 'convinced' her to calm down and head home. She weakly nodded and walked around the main wall towards the left side of the wall. Once she was out of the guards' range of sight, she sprinted towards the tree and quickly scaled it, a look of triumph on her face.

"How was that?" She asked, edging closer to the end of the branch they stood on. Law smirked.

"Well, at least I know that you would make an entertaining drunk if that's how you act." He thought the comment would've gotten a rise out of her but she only grinned back.

"Room." He muttered, extending his hand and releasing the blue sphere. It just barely touched the wall of the house, but it was enough. Concentrating, he teleported them all inside.

* * *

Out of the three, Summer was the only one that landed wrong. She wasn't prepared for the tugging sensation of her body and ended up falling straight onto her face in the middle of a lavishly decorated bedroom. It was a miracle no one was inside, but they didn't have time to waste. Standing up and brushing herself off, she went to stand by Law.

"So, now what?" She asked. He had moved to the partially opened door, looking out the space provided cautiously. Bepo sniffed the air experimentally.

The hallway wasn't very spectacular, save for the high ceiling and thick persian rug that spanned its length. Small side tables furnished either side, topped with potted plants and ashtrays.

"What are we-" Summer was cut off by Law's hand on her mouth. Her eyes widened and she gave him an angry look, but he glared at her for silence. He nodded out the door, and she turned to look.

A young woman, a maid by her outfit, was walking down the hall, her back to the room they were hiding in. Law had a calculating look in his eye, and Summer knew he had a plan.

"Knock her out and put on her clothes. You can disguise yourself as a maid and search the house." He whispered. She nodded, almost sad when he let her go and backed away. The sensation was strange, so she shook it off and focused.

Summer crept out of the room, her eyes glued to the maid's back. Her footsteps were silent, but she knew that people tended to have a feeling of when they were being followed.

Apparently, this girl did not possess it as she didn't turn around once as Summer stalked up to her and deftly brought the hilt of her dagger down onto her temple. She didn't have time to cry out, and began to fall. Catching the fallen girl, she dragged her body back to the room they were hiding in.

"I hope her clothes fit me…" Summer commented, eyeing the woman's frame. Dragging her victim behind a changing screen, she gave Law a glare that could've made a Yonko pause. "Don't you even dare look."

He raised an eyebrow but turned his back, allowing her privacy. He didn't miss the fact that Bepo was standing nearby and she didn't have a problem with his presence. He would not, however, admit that it made him just a little jealous.

The ruffled sound of clothes brushing soon ended and Summer stepped out in the woman's uniform. The black and white contoured her curves and small waist, though the fabric was stretched a little tighter than comfortable. She crossed her arms and huffed.

"Quit staring, you pervert." Law smirked as her cheeks grew red.

"I don't take orders from you." Her fists clenched against the floor length skirt and she angrily walked towards the door.

"Damn you to hell." She muttered, opening up the door without hesitation and into the hallway outside.

* * *

Her small steps brought her down the maze-like halls of the mansion, clicking softly against the wood when rugs weren't laid out. It was a miracle she hadn't run into anyone yet, despite her disguise. The skirt wasn't easy to walk in and she tripped over the hem constantly. Resorting to holding up some of the fabric, she quickened her pace.

All the hallways looked identical, and it took a lot of remembering where she turned to avoid getting lost.

' _Reid, Liam. Where are you? Please, stay alive until we find you.''_

The sound of voices ahead brought her out of her thoughts and she almost stopped in the middle of the hallway. Realizing that this would blow her cover, she continued walking, curious as to what was going on.

"The Mrs. won't like that we're late getting back." One of two large men said as they turned the corner and walked down the hall towards them. Forcing her eyes down like a normal maid would do, she tried to make herself look as inconspicuous as possible.

"As long as she can have her fun with them, she won't care when we're back." The other replied, glancing at Summer as they passed one another. "Hey, you there!" He said.

She froze midstep and turned slowly. Her gaze still to the rug, she swallowed meekly.

"Y-yes?" She squeaked out, playing the role of an insignificant housemaid. The two brutes had stopped walking and were now facing her. By the looks of the muscles on their arms, it would be dangerous to be found out now.

"I've never seen you around before…" One said, taking a step closer. She took a step back.

"I-I'm newly hired. The Mrs. gave me a job after my mother died." She lied, assuming the 'Mrs.' was Mrs. Winslow. She gave a little curtsy, difficult in the long gown, just for show. "Pleased to make your acquaintance."

Neither of them said anything for a moment, just stared at her as she kept her eyes glued to the floor. The silence was unbearable, and she was just about to run away or attack them. Thankfully, one smiled.

"Well, what'll be your name, then?" The one on the left asked. She gave a weak smile and glanced around. There was no one else in the hall.

"Mari, sir. Mari Conner."

"Well, it was a pleasure meeting you, Miss. Sad to say, we have urgent business to attend to, so we'll be on our way now."

It was then that she noticed a riding crop and long iron rod in both or their hands. Her blood froze from the seemingly innocent objects they were carrying around. They could mean anything, really. But she saw exactly what they were. Tools for torture.

The other man wasn't smiling. In fact, he was still glaring at her, almost questioningly, as they turned to leave. She was still standing in the same place even after they had vacated the hall.

Sucking in a breath she didn't know she'd been holding, she followed after the two men.

* * *

Law and Bepo waited in the bedroom, tensing each time someone walked past the door. Each occurrence set them on edge, just waiting for the one time when someone found the two pirates. In that instance they would have to fight back, and more likely than not the unsuspecting person would cry out and raise alarm of intruders in the mansion.

"What's taking her so long?" Law muttered, eyeing yet another maid walk past the door. His grip remained tight on his nodachi. Bepo shifted position on the floor, sniffing the air again.

"I can still smell her, she isn't too far away." He sniffed again, this time furrowing his brows. "Reid and Liam's scent is stronger now. We must be close."

The captain nodded, and surveyed the room once again.

It obviously belonged to a man, judging by the lack of decoration and the musky smell that permeated the air. The walls were darker in tone and the bed sturdy and practical by luxury standards. However, it didn't seem to be used frequently. The nearest table had a small layer of dust, the bed didn't look slept in at all, the windows were drawn shut…

"Summer is coming back." Bepo's voice broke through Law's thoughts, drawing his attention to the door to await his blonde cook.

A few minutes passed before Summer pushed into the room. It took only a second to take in her wide smile and know that she had been successful.

"I think I know where they are." She sat down on the floor to catch her breath, and Law watched as her face took on a concerned look.

"I ran into these two big guys in the hallway. They were carrying a riding crop and a branding iron. I followed them as close as I could without them knowing I was there. I think they went into the cellar."

"You know which hallway it's in?"

"Yeah, I could lead us there. Bepo's nose can help too." She said, gesturing to the polar bear.

"How long would it take us to get there running?" He asked, and she thought for a moment.

"Maybe 2 minutes max. That's if we aren't stopped along the way." She said, knowing that he wanted a very specific time. The situation was so precarious that they couldn't afford to exaggerate.

"Then lead the way." The pirates stood and rushed out into the hallway, following Summer down the confusing hallways. Discretion was discarded in their hurry. At this point, it didn't matter who saw them. They were getting their nakama back.


	41. Nakama

"Now, we can do this the easy way or the hard way. Personally, I much prefer the hard way, so why not just give me a reason to use this?" Scarlet sneered, stroking the long riding crop in her hand. The hard leather looked well oiled and quite threatening in the low light of the cellar. Liam had figured by now that they were in the basement of the mansion, judging by the fine clothing and familiarity with which she treated the place.

He only glared back, neither provoking her nor being submissive to her whims. Wary of all of his movements were the two brutes standing in the corner, ready to take action whenever Mrs. Winslow gave the word. Her smile lost its amusement and she sighed heavily.

"I've said it before, but you being a pirate and all? Tormenting civilians across the Grand Line? It's all a waste. Nothing will ever come of any of your strange and illegal antics, so why do you do it?" She asked, circling his chair patiently. Liam leaned back his head and closed his eyes. He was growing so very tired of her ridiculous banter.

"I wouldn't expect you to understand even if I told you." He muttered, conscious of the sound of her footsteps in front of him. Suddenly, a sharp pain shot up his upper thigh and his eyes shot open. Scarlet was holding the leather out, ready to strike. She was scowling once again.

"I wish to know. I don't care if I won't understand anything of what you tell me. I just want to know the reason you took my daughter." It was Liam's turn to sigh heavily. He was getting tired of the questions too.

"I've already told you, we didn't kidnap your daughter." Faster than he could react, her hand whipped out and the hard leather struck across his exposed leg once again. A large red welt quickly began to form. He gritted his teeth against the pain.

"Then why do I keep receiving reports from the Marines that she had been seen boarding your crew's submarine?"

"Yes, she came with us but we-" The riding crop struck again. "Urgh…" He grunted.

"I am a very powerful woman, pirate, so don't think you can keep lying to me. I could always hand over your punishment to Raz and Lupis over here." She gestured to the eagerly waiting men.

"I don't care how powerful you are, twisting the truth to suit your own vendetta won't get you anywhere." He swallowed heavily, trying to get his dry throat to cooperate with him. How long had he gone without food and water? The pains in his stomach were getting worse with every breath. "My crew didn't kidnap your daughter and you know it."

Whatever had been holding the angry woman back up to this point snapped. She lunged forward with the riding crop, twisting it around his neck in a chokehold and pulled tightly. His air was cut off and he tried remaining calm as much as he could while he was being suffocated...which wasn't that calm. He struggled against the bonds on the chair as she came within inches of his face.

"Lies! I know you have her with you! You don't even deny having her aboard!"

"Captain...offered...her a...place in...the crew! She...accepted!" He struggled to get out, all the while stars were starting to appear in his vision. Abruptly, the hold loosened and he had a coughing fit, barely coming back to earth from nearly going unconscious. Scarlet had backed away.

"Cut him loose and tie him to the wall." She ordered, to which the two men gladly obeyed. Liam found himself untied from the chair and dragged over to the cement wall where two manacles hung. Glancing a peak over to Reid, he found that his friend was still knocked out or...he didn't want to think about the other possibility. It was impossible to tell from his position if he was still breathing.

Once his wrists were properly shackled, his back facing the room, it was then he truly began to panic. The pain had been tolerable enough up to this point, but he'd heard about whippings before and they weren't pleasant. His breathing sped up and he eyed the wall in fear.

"I warned you what resisting would bring about, didn't I? I suppose there's no other alternative…" She didn't sound too sad about it though. Liam's shirt was ripped away from his body harshly.

"AH!" He shouted feeling the hard bite of the leather strike his back. A loud crack resounded through the room, his skin flaming where it had made its mark. Another blow came, and it was all he could do not to crumple to the ground. His muscles trembled from the abuse. The strikes kept coming, another after another, until they all seemed to blend into one. The pain was unbearable, and his vision swam. Hot tears dripped down his face, accompanied by his hoarse but useless screams. Dimly, he realized that hot liquid was dripping down his back and onto the floor below him.

Finally, finally, the attacks ceased. Behind him, he heard the laboured breathing of his attacker, exhausted from so much exertion.

' _Why do I keep resisting?'_  He thought. ' _What holds me back? The pain would end if I just told her where Kat was.'_

An image of his nakama, smiling together in the small little mess deck of their sometimes cramped submarine brought the tiniest of smiles to his face. Bepo was snacking happily on a large bowl of fish, accompanied by Law confident smirk. Summer sat nearby, arguing with Penguin and Shachi over something stupid. The family that he made his own welcomed him back with open arms.

' _Ah, yes. That is why I resist. For my nakama. My family.'_

"Is that all you've got?" Liam rasped, panting from the extreme stress to his body. A humorless laugh escaped him, and though he couldn't see his attacker he knew he had gotten their attention. "My captain will come. I will live for my nakama." He noticed the branding iron laying in a pit of coals, scorching the metal to beyond thinkable heat. Somehow, it didn't scare him.

"You know, I'm getting very tired of hearing about your nakama. They are scum, they aren't family. And if you really think they are, then look again. They are the worst of the worst. Liars, killers, cheats, thieves, drug addicts, prostitutes, alcoholics, gamblers, snitches…" Scarlet caught her breath before continuing. "How on earth could you possibly think those people are your family?" Scarlet picked up the hot metal tool and came closer to Liam with it, holding it out with menace. This didn't deter him.

"Because they matter to me. Because they have fought beside me when they could have easily ran off and left me to fend for myself. Because they are all I have and all I have ever known! We've suffered together, laughed together, cried together. Hurt, teased, hated, loved, everything. We've never been alone through all of it and that," He spat, somehow staring her in the eye over his shoulder. "That is why each and every one of them are more of a human being than you will ever be." Scarlet brought the iron closer, and Liam could feel the radiating heat.

"You know, I'd have to agree with you." Said another voice behind him. Everyone's attention shifted to the new speaker.

* * *

"You are absolutely positive this is the right door?" Law asked, eyeing the place Summer had taken them with doubt. She glared, nodded, and turned the handle as quietly as silently as she could. Bepo and Law readied themselves beside her.

* * *

"H-how is this possible?" Scarlet cried, backing away from a very deadly Trafalgar Law, backed by a very angry Bepo and an equally furious Summer. She was wiping her blades free of blood, and she then noticed the two dead men on the floor in the corner. She hadn't even heard them die.

"Liam, are you and Reid alright?" The polar bear asked, walking over towards the injured mechanic. He sniffed his body and relaxed a bit. "He's still alive." He stated. All of the Heart Pirates seemed to sigh a breath of relief.

"I'd suggest you put that rod away, Mrs. Winslow-ya." Law said, his expression deadly calm with each step forward. She kept taking steps back but wouldn't let go of her weapon. Suddenly dropping the long branding iron, she snatched at something on her leg and held it to Liam's throat.

"I-I'll kill him! I'll do it!" She warned in a panicked voice. The small dagger glinted off the small amount of light in the room. Liam looked around and couldn't find Summer, but he quickly focused back on the knife at his neck when it pressed in a little deeper. Small drops of blood began to fall.

"No, you won't." The captain stated, but nonetheless stopped a few feet from the bound medic. He wasn't worried at all, Liam noticed, and that made him confident he would make it out of this alive.

"Captain, I'm not sure how bad of shape Reid is in. I know of several broken fingers and a possible concussion, but he'd need a full examination." Law nodded thoughtfully.

"When we get back to the sub, both you and Reid-ya will be given full examinations." Scarlet flicked her wide eyes between the two men, seemingly in disbelief that they were having a perfectly normal conversation in this dangerous situation. It was as if they were completely ignoring her.

"Hey! Pay attention! Give me back my daughter or-Ugh…" Scarlet toppled to the ground, dropping the dagger as she fell in a heap at the back of the chair. Summer panted heavily from behind the woman.

"No one gives our captain orders." She growled, obviously angry that she had to restrain herself from flat out killing her. Law raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

Using her daggers to unlock the manacles, she gently lowered Liam onto the ground before giving him a once over. Law in the meantime, went immediately to Reid. Bepo had stated that the man was still alive, but he wanted to see the state of his mechanic for himself.

It was clear he had been unconscious awhile. The dried blood on his wound was crusted down the left side of his face and the hair around it was matted. Several of his fingers bent the wrong way and it looked as if he may have a few broken ribs. Law cut his bonds and gestured for Bepo to pick him up.

"Take the woman as well, I have questions for her." Bepo nodded and picked Scarlet up much less reverently than Reid, carelessly slinging her over his shoulder. Reid was nestled gently into his furry arm.

"Summer-ya, help Liam-ya to walk. We need to leave quickly." She nodded and wrapped one of his arms around her neck. He winced harshly at each movement but didn't complain.

"What's the plan, Captain?" Summer asked. Law smirked wickedly.

"We do what pirates do best. Escape and kill anyone in our way."


	42. We Need A Distraction

The door into the hallway burst open and the five pirates with their unconscious prisoner charged into the room. Law, in the lead, glanced around for any visible threats. No one was in the hallway. He pulled out the den den mushi and quickly made a call.

"Captain! What do you need?" Shachi asked on the other end.

"I need you to create a distraction out front to keep the guards occupied while we get these two out. The bigger the better." Something sounded like it was being jostled before Penguin answered him.

"Aye, Captain! Distraction is our specialty!" He laughed before handing up. Putting the snail phone away, he focused on the hallway around them.

"We came from the left." Summer stated, helping a struggling Liam through the door. She pointed down the one that was going the opposite direction. "The exit should be down that hallway...I think." Her face scrunched in concentration.

"It's the best we've got right now." Law said and took off down that direction. Bepo and Summer followed as quickly as they could, though still at a much slower pace than their captain.

Law took the gap between them to scout the upcoming hall, still suspicious that no one had tried to stop them yet. They weren't exactly trying to be stealthy at this point, but the lack of people in the mansion was highly unusual. Households as big as this were crawling with servants and noblemen.

Every hallway seemed to be identical, fitted with the dark wood floors and deep crimson persian rugs. The hideous green wallpaper was starting to give him a headache. The other two had arrived behind him and he nodded to the large double door at the end of the hall.

"That door should lead us to the main hall. Kill anyone you see, but don't put them at risk." Law said, nodding at the two injured crewmen they had risked so much to rescue. Summer took out one of her daggers, adjusting her grip on Liam. He was panting heavily. His eyes wouldn't focus, as if he were disoriented. He was paler than usual and slick with sweat.

"Liam, just hang in there, ok? We'll get you out of here." Summer whispered, just loud enough for Law to hear. Liam only nodded and took a deep breath.

"Go!" Said the captain and the pirates took off down the hall, making all the noise in the world and not caring one bit.

They pushed open the door and were surprised to find themselves in a grand hall, packed with people. Lords and ladies were dressed in the most formal of attire, fondling wine glasses and chatting noisily. The ceiling was adorned with glittering chandeliers, reflecting the light of candles on the wall and the jewelry of the rich women.

Sequined dresses and too-heavy makeup, shrill little giggles from the too-skinny ladies, fake-sounding laughs from the men who obviously enjoyed their food. It was all so sickening.

"I don't believe we've met…" "The food is absolutely wonderful tonight." I think I saw The Jenova family over by the staircase." "Darling, you look absolutely ravishing." People talked about things that they could never give a damn about.

The three out of place pirates hadn't even been acknowledged. A band played in the corner of the room, distracting those in the grand hall. Obviously some event was taking place, which made getting out of the densely packed room that much harder.

"I think we took a wrong turn." Summer panted, starting to feel the weight of her weak companion.

Releasing a huff of annoyance, Law raised his hand parallel to the ground. "Room." He muttered, and the blue sphere enveloped the room, startling the lords and ladies in attendance.

"What's going on?" "Is this the entertainment?" "Mrs. Winslow has absolutely outdone herself on the special effects this year." The chatter erupted, both in slight panic and wonder. Unsheathing his sword, Law glared at those around him. With one swift slice at the air, everyone was cut in half through their torsos.

The screaming began and glasses were dropped to the ground. Men yelled in outrage as they floated helplessly around Law's 'operating room.'

"My legs are gone!" People cried, flailing their arms around futilely. Several women fainted in midair, which Law would have found amusing had he not been so irritated by the setback.

"Come on." Law grabbed onto Summer's arm and guided them through the terrified guests, ignoring the lower halves that littered the floor. The trio darted through legs and made it to the second set of grand double doors.

On the other side, another longer hallway lay before them, this one bustling with servants and guards. They immediately turned to look at them, thinking them to be an angry guest. Upon seeing their strange outfits and an unconscious Mrs. Winslow slung over Bepo's back, they took up a cry and got hostile.

"Freeze! Release the Mrs. at once!" Guards pulled out guns and swords strapped to their belts.

"Someone call the marines!" A servant shouted, dropping their tray of tea onto the thick rug. They took off running but Summer was faster, darting through the guards and pouncing onto the back of the retreating servant with so much force, he was thrown into the wall face-first.

"Like hell you will." Her daggers flashed out in a second, slicing his throat before darting to the next opponent. Guards started to converge onto her, but her speed and weapons were too much. In a matter of a minute, everyone was lying on the ground in a pool of blood. Wiping off her daggers and sheathing them onto her belt, she jogged back over to Liam, whom she had gently told to sit against the wall, and helped him to his feet.

"What are we waiting for?" She asked Law, who hadn't moved after watching the deadly spectacle. Shaking his head with a smirk, he again took the lead down the hallway. He was careful not to slip on the slick floors.

The next few rooms were less populated and those that occupied them were much less willing to put their lives in danger. More often than not, they quickly dropped what they were doing and hid.

"Where the hell is the exit?" Summer panted, now struggling to run with a fully unconscious Liam on her shoulder. Somewhere between the grand hall and the hall they were in now, the pain had overtaken him.

Bepo was standing by the window, looking outside. "Captain, I think you should see this." Law quickly came over and glanced outside.

The street farther below was in chaos. The rest of the Heart Pirates were currently locked in battle with the front guards, and winning by the looks of it. In the fray, Law could see Shachi and Penguin beating guards over the heads with their wrenches.

"Well, that's certainly a distraction." Summer commented, readjusting her hold on Liam. Law noticed her discomfort but couldn't do anything to alleviate it.

"We're heading towards the front, but these halls are just getting us lost." Law muttered. Scowling, he searched the room as if it held the answers to his problem. He wanted to get back to the sub as soon as possible, especially with two severely wounded crew members, but the maze that was this house was making that impossible.

"Hmm...what about that?" Summer asked, pointing to something out the window above them. Looking up, Law noticed a thick cable attached to the roof of the building. Following the line, it ended on the ground outside the wall.

"A powerline?" He asked, not sure exactly what she was thinking. Her face took on a smirk.

"Ever been ziplining?" He looked at her as if she were crazy.

"Are you really serious?" She only grinned wider and gently lowered Liam to the ground by the wall. Taking her dagger, she smashed the window and used her blade to get rid of the jagged glass around the edges. A faint breeze drifted through, making Law realize just how hot the house was.

"Don't tell me you're scared." She said, unbuckling her belt. He eyed the cable outside with distrust. It didn't really look thick enough to support a person's weight. Picking up Liam from the ground, she put him over her shoulder and walked up to the window. Wrapping her belt over the top, she turned towards him.

"Meet you at the sub." She said with a little salute, then jumped out the window. Law watched in fascination and slight fear as she sailed through the air towards the ground. Somehow, she balanced Liam on her shoulder the whole way and managed to land lightly on her feet below. Once she was safely down to earth, she turned and waved at Law.

"That woman…" He muttered, watching as she took off into the alley without catching anyone's attention. Turning to Bepo, he wondered how the bear would make it down such a height. He seemed to read Law's mind.

"Don't worry, Captain. I'll find a way out downstairs." Hesitating only for a second, he nodded. He trusted his first mate wouldn't take any unnecessary risks. His blonde cook, however, was a different story. Bepo took off down the hall with his two passengers in tow. Turning back to the window, Law unstrapped his own belt and copied Summer's actions.

Before long, he was flying down the cable towards the ground at alarming speed. He hadn't realized it would go so fast and stumbled only slightly when he hit the ground. Taking a breath of relief, he put on his belt once more and ran to join the fight.

* * *

Summer took to the alleys to make her way back to the submarine. She didn't want to draw any unwanted attention from passersby and marines alike. Liam was starting to get painfully heavy on her shoulder but she pressed on anyway.

' _His pain is much greater than yours.'_

Glancing at her unconscious friend, she noticed that the lashes on his back were getting extremely red and irritated. The few on his chest and legs were dirty as well and she began to worry about infection. That would be the cruelest of irony. To have her nakama die after going through so much to get him back. She just hoped that fate wouldn't be a bitch today of all days.

Finding new resolve, she sped up a little as she zigzagged through the dusty back ways in the general direction of the sub, knowing that at some point she would emerge at the end of the city and in view of their vessel.

She only hoped she would make it in time.

* * *

Law ran up behind a guard and sliced through his back. The man cried out and dropped to the ground. Penguin, who had been his opponent, saluted at seeing him.

"Captain! Glad you could join us! Where's Summer-chan and Bepo?" He glanced around as if they would materialize out of the battle around them. Both men fended off attacks and pushed back.

"Summer-ya is bringing Liam-ya to the sub. Bepo had to find his own way out." Pausing to slash a man through his chest, he guarded Penguin's back against a man with a long sword. "As soon as you see Bepo, fall back to the sub. The log pose should be set. We'll set sail immediately."

"What about the plan?" He asked, referring to Kat's ransom. Law shook his head.

"There's no point now. We'll figure out what to do with her later!"

"Aye, Captain!" Penguin yelled, before running off to spread the word.


	43. How To Maybe Save A Life

"Casper!" Summer shouted, struggling to get into the submarine carrying her unconscious friend. There was a bit of a drop down to the ground and she didn't want to risk causing further injury to Liam. Nevertheless, she had to get him to the infirmary before he died of his wounds. "Casper, where are you?" She shouted.

"In here, lass." Called the cook's voice. She limped in the direction of the kitchen. The sub was mostly silent, but through her labored breathing and the adrenaline rushing in her ears, she could make out the sound of someone banging against something. A voice accompanied it, but it was too muffled to make out.

Rounding the corner, she found herself face to face with Casper who looked a little worried. He sat at one of the mess deck tables, holding a large kitchen knife in his hand. Upon seeing Summer's entrance, he stood up and set the weapon down.

"What all happened?" He asked, and she gave a brief summary of their rescue mission.

"Law's still with the rest of the crew at the mansion, but I needed to get him here as soon as possible." She panted, gesturing to the dead weight on her shoulder.

"Let me out! Mr. Casper! Please! I'm scared! What's going on?" Kat's muffled voice came up through the kitchen doors. A loud banging followed her screaming, and Summer realized she was still locked in the food storage. She didn't even give her a second thought.

"Let's get him to the infirmary, now. It'll be best if he's layin' somewhere instead of being carried around." Casper said, ushering her out of the mess deck and taking Liam's other arm around his neck. It was then that Summer realized how weak she felt after carrying her nakama for so long. Her arms shook, the limbs feeling something close to jelly.

Casper pushed open the double doors and helped her drag Liam over to a bed. They set him down as gently as possible, conscious of the horrible state of his back. After that, she stood back in panic.

"I don't know how much longer Law will be." She muttered, pacing the floor in front of Liam's bed. Casper laid a hand on her shoulder to still her movements, gaining her full attention.

"Summer, we're gonna have to start treating him now. If we wait much longer for the captain to get back, there's a large chance he won't survive."

"But I don't know anything about healing people! I've never done something like this before!" She practically shouted, her breath quickening with every second.

"Neither have I but we have to do some basic first aid." He nodded towards the unconscious man. "Those lashes run a serious risk of infection. Even I know that much."

"But I-"

"Summer." He cut through, placing both hands on her shoulders. She stopped at the desperate sound of his voice, something she wasn't used to. He had only ever been calm and confident, and now was the first time she had seen him begin to lose his control of the situation. She stared into his eyes, her own on the verge of tears. "Liam will die if we do not help him."

After a few moments, she felt herself nodding silently and he let go of her shoulders. He stepped back and began searching the room.

"Alright, we need to get rid of his ruined clothing." Reacting only to the authoritative tone of his voice, she rushed over to the bed and began stripping Liam of the bloodied and ripped clothing.

Casper came up beside her a moment later with a simple first aid kit and a bottle of some kind of liquid.

"Hydrogen peroxide." He answered her questioning glance. She nodded and threw the last of his dirty clothes to the side. All that was left was his boxers, which would have made her blush if the situation weren't so dire.

"Umm...we have to clean it first, right?" She asked hesitantly. He nodded and opened the red first aid kit. He came out with large cotton balls, giving them to her along with the bottle of peroxide.

"Be gentle around the open wounds, they'll sting like hell." She took a deep breath and accepted the materials. Unscrewing the cap, she poured it all over the cotton and gave the bottle back to him. She slowly lowered the ball to his skin, pulling back immediately when Liam unconsciously flinched from the pain. Casper quickly rushed to his side and held him down so he wouldn't struggle.

"I can't do it, Casper. He's in pain and I-"

"Do this for him and he will live to thank you! I know you don't want to hurt him but this is the only way to make sure he doesn't die of infection." He told her sternly, holding down a still twitching Liam.

"Ok...ok...I can do this." She whispered to herself. She approached him again, more determined to get this over with. "You'll be alright, Liam. It'll be over soon. Captain will come back and fix you up." She wasn't sure who she was trying to convince more, herself or her friend.

The process took longer than Summer had ever imagined it to be. There were so many wounds that needed cleaning. Each swipe of the cotton across his skin had him jerking and twisting beneath Casper's grasp. Distantly, she could still hear Kat banging against the kitchen door. This only fueled her resolve.

' _Whether it be Kat or her mother, someone will pay for Liam's pain.'_

She hated her. Hated Kat with all of her being for bringing her friend pain. Each groan of pain he yelled, each especially violent twist of his body, every drop of blood that seeped out of his wounds...she took that growing anger and directed it to the red-head locked in the storage room.

The worst part was having to flip Liam over to reach the wounds on his back. He had cried out in pain, louder than what he had been doing, and whimpered softly into the bed's sheets. Summer's own eyes shed a few tears in sorrow. Seeing him in so much pain was the last thing she wanted.

Finally, after a tiring battle of wanting to help him and not wanting to cause him pain, all of the wounds were cleaned. She hadn't realized that she had been holding her breath and released it once she tossed the cotton into the trash.

"You did well, lass." Casper panted, recovering from holding the medic down for so long. She only nodded in gratitude, too emotionally spent to say anything.

"I think we should bandage the most severe cuts." Casper said finally, noticing that some of the wounds were still bleeding a little heavily. He rummaged in the first aid kit again, coming up with a small roll of cloth bandages and a small pair of scissors.

"I don't know if that'll be enough." Summer said. Casper sighed and shook his head.

"I'll look for more but we'll have to make do for now." She took the bandage and scissors from the cook, turning back to Liam as Casper went to search out more bandages.

"Hang in there, Liam. You'll be alright" She whispered, more to comfort herself than anything. Her hands shaking slightly, she cut a length of cloth and placed it over a particularly deep gash on his thigh. The bandage stained red, but looked to stop the bleeding to a degree.

"Ok...Casper, I'm gonna need your help lifting him up a little. I need to get a few on his back."

He hurried over and helped raise Liam to a semi-sitting position in the bed. Casper made sure to support his head, other wise it would loll to one side at an unpleasant angle. Summer quickly wrapped the cloth around his chest before tying the ends together. She repeated this two more times before they set him back down on the bed.

"I think that's all of them." She said, breathing heavily. Taking care of Liam was more mentally taxing than she ever would have thought it to be, though the possibility of him dying added much more stress to the situation.

"That's about all we can do, lass. We'll have to wait for Captain to really fix him up." Summer nodded. "Let's go back to the kitchen and keep watch over the girl."

"Alright." She whispered, turning towards the door to follow the cook. It was then that all the emotion seemed to come to her, all the guilt and sorrow she had bottled up overcame her all at once. Tears sprung to her eyes and her vision blurred. Only a few steps forward and her legs gave way beneath her. She collapsed to the floor, Casper rushing to her side in worry.

"Summer, lass, are you wounded?" He sounded slightly panicked, as if he feared she would need medical treatment as well. It was difficult for her to answer, the tears she had been holding back welled up inside her and dripped down her face unbidden.

"I-I...couldn't do anything...to help him. He was...in...so much pain…" She cried, curling into herself on the floor. "I should've been the...one they hurt instead of him. He...didn't deserve this!"

"Lass, there's nothing you could've done. Don't start blaming yourself for this." He gently patted her shoulder as she cried into the floor. Several minutes passed this way, Summer releasing all of the pent up emotions over the past several hours and Casper sitting next to her patiently as she let it all out.

"I'm...I'm ok now." She shakily said after calming down, wiping the moisture from her face with her uniform sleeve. She had forgotten that she was still wearing the maid's uniform, and only realized then that she was not wearing her normal clothing. It was still back in the mansion.

"Why don't you go change? Get some fresh clothes on ya." Casper said, almost as if he were reading her mind. Sniffing loudly, she nodded and stood again to leave. Casper hovered next to her, fearing she might collapse again, but backed away when it became evident she was alright.

"Thank you, Casper." She gave a weak smile and pushed out the door. He nodded in reply and watched her go. He stayed a few moments after the door shut, looking towards the still unconscious man.

"Just pray the captain gets here soon." He muttered to himself.

* * *

"Fall back!" Penguin shouted, spotting Bepo running outside into the great expanse of yard where the conflict was still taking place. "Back to the sub! Let's go!"

Men detached themselves from their battles and ran towards the alleys in the direction of their submarine. Law noticed his first mate still had Scarlet and Reid in his arms, and ran towards him.

The overwhelmed guards of the house followed only a small distance before letting the pirates go. Law assumed this was because they were still confused as to why they had even attacked at all. Thankfully, none of them had spotted the woman of the house slung over the bear's shoulder.

"How is he?" Law asked Bepo, gesturing to Reid who was wrapped snugly in his embrace.

"He's still alive, but he hasn't woken up yet." Nodding, the two ran after the retreating men.

"Did Summer make it back to the sub?" Bepo asked, worried about his female nakama. Law smiled just a little, though the bear didn't notice.

"Don't worry about her, Bepo. She can take care of herself and Liam-ya."

* * *

"Please! Why won't you let me out?" Kat called, banging against the door. Summer sat in the mess deck, distractedly listening to the girl's desperate sobs. It was approaching a half hour since she had brought Liam back from the mansion, and she was starting to get anxious. Law couldn't be that far behind, could he?

Every once in a while, Kat's obnoxious yelling would interrupt her thoughts. She kept crying to be let out, crying that she was scared. To be honest, she could care less about what she was feeling. In her mind, she deserved everything she was getting.

' _What has she done to you?'_  The rational part of her brain asked. Angrily, she shook her head.

' _It was_ her family  _that almost killed Liam and Reid. She might not have directly hurt them herself, no._ No way in hell  _does that make her innocent though. She can rot in hell for all I care.'_

"Can anyone hear me?" Kat cried, banging harder against the door. Casper had gone to check up on Liam, making sure that he was still breathing. It wasn't like the two of them knew what to do if he actually  _did_  stop breathing, but just sitting in the mess deck and doing nothing felt wrong. They at least wanted to be there for their nakama. If only to be next to him.

"Captain Law! Please! Let me out!" Summer finally snapped, unable to take any more of the girl's useless crying.

"Shut up already!" She shouted, standing up suddenly and striding to the door.

"Summer-san?" Came a weak reply. Summer's breathing was heavy and quick at this point.

"Just shut up already!  _Shut up!_  No one is letting you out of there!"

"But-"

"Haven't you figured it out yet? You aren't part of our crew! You aren't useful in any way! Everything you do causes us problems! You just existing gives me a migraine! You're  _useless!_  We only used you so we could get money! And I'm certainly not your friend!

" _I'm_  not your friend,  _Penguin's_  not your friend, Shachi, Bepo, Liam, Reid, Law...none of them are your friends! You aren't welcome here! You  _never_  were! Why don't you just crawl back to your goddamn mansion and cry to mommy?"

There was only silence behind the door, but Summer wasn't done yet.

"The only reason you're still alive is because Law wanted to use you. If it were up to me, you'd have been dead the first day we brought you in! You have no idea how long I've wanted to kill you myself, with my own two hands!

"I'm gonna ask Captain personally if I can wring your neck, so I would start saying prayers, counting down to your last day...whatever. Just be ready when I come to kill you."

Standing up, she walked down the hall towards her bedroom. No doubt Casper would have heard her yelling and would be able to hear it in the silence of the sub, but she really didn't care at this point. Finally she was able to let go of all the hatred and hurt and confusion and sorrow that had been building inside of her since Kat's arrival.

It had felt amazing to just let it out and not pretend to be that idiot's friend anymore. God, it felt like a weight had been lifted off of her shoulders! Now, maybe, she could get a good night's sleep. She chuckled softly as she opened her door.

' _Sweet dreams, Kat. Hope you think of me.'_  She thought with a cruel smirk, shutting the door behind her.


	44. Return

_*A few hours before*_

" _...Captain will fix you up. Just hang in there."_

Liam wasn't sure where the noise was coming from. He could only barely make out the words. Most of it was muffled, but a part of him felt as if this voice were familiar.

Try as he might, his eyes refused to open though he could tell through his eyelids that wherever he was it was pitch black. His body felt numb and none of his limbs would listen to his brain. He tried to call out but his mouth wouldn't even open. Everything was so cold, but there was this tiny hint of warmth just beyond his reach.

No, wait...there were two twinges of warmth. One in front of him and the other...behind him. Turning around towards the second source, he felt as it seemed to slowly get closer and stronger. It pulsated slightly as it grew nearer.

Stabs of pain shot through his consciousness, but he couldn't feel the physical body the pain was being caused to. Was it really his pain? He wasn't sure.

A moment later, he stopped going closer. Why was he going this way? When did he decide to do that? He wasn't sure anymore and it was getting harder to remember anything.

As one grew the other diminished, until Liam was barely aware that the other source was still present. The sound kept reverberating through his consciousness, not seeming to originate from a single point but from all around him. He tried to listen hard to where it really was.

There. Turning back towards the other source of warmth, the one that had almost entirely disappeared, he willed himself to walk towards it. Something was pushing him back, pulling him towards the closer warmth that wrapped this comfortable feeling around him and whispered at him to sleep and rest. But something felt...wrong about it.

He pushed with all his effort towards the noise, the almost familiar warmth. Slowly, after almost giving up, Liam began getting closer to the warmth that really felt safe. Yes, the pain was there. But the voice was there too.

" _Hang in there, Liam."_  It said. Liam? Was that his name? He couldn't be sure. But that voice sounded so familiar, so safe and wonderful. He began moving towards it again.

Yes, it was starting to come back to him now. His name was Liam and he was a Heart Pirate. The memories seemed to flood in as he grew closer and closer to the beautiful warmth that soon overcame him. He took a split second to recognize that he was smiling.

* * *

_*Present*_

A loud commotion woke Summer up from her sleep. She blinked in confusion for a moment before the events from the evening came crashing down on her. Eyes wide, she sat up straight on her bed and stood up. Too fast, her vision swam as the blood rushed to her legs.

Finding her shirt she had discarded before going to sleep, she rushed out of her bedroom door and into the hallway.

' _Please, let it be Captain.'_ She thought, listening to the shouts and loud footsteps that came from near the entrance.

"Summer-chan!" Penguin shouted, spotting the blonde jogging down the hall. She gave a tiny smile in relief to see her nakama were ok. It looked like the rest of them had made it back safely, though there were a few cuts and bruises among those returned.

"Where's Captain?" She asked, glancing around desperately for the Dark Doctor in the crowd of people coming through the hatch.

"Captain and Bepo were the first ones on board. Bepo had Reid with him and they were heading towards the infirmary."

"And Reid? Is he-"

"He's still alive, I heard Bepo say it."

"Ah, thank God." She sighed audibly in relief, feeling a large weight lifting from her shoulders. Who knows what she'd have done if Liam had stopped breathing without the Captain around? Or if Reid hadn't made it on the way back to the sub? Just the thought made her shiver in fear.

"Are you alright, Summer-chan? You look a little shaken up." Penguin said, grasping her shoulder in concern. Going with the flow of the moving crowd, the engineer guided her into one of the mess deck chairs. This was good since Summer felt all the stress and emotion crash down on her at once and she felt that she would have fallen to the floor if she hadn't been sitting. In her sudden joy, she could have laughed at the sheer ridiculousness of the whole ordeal.

"Yes, I'm fine. Are you?" He nodded decisively.

"Please! Let me out of here!" Kat's muffled voice was barely heard over the loud shuffling of feet in the hallway, but the crew could still make out her high-pitched shrieking. A few heads turned in the direction of the kitchen, but no one answered or moved to help the crying girl Summer noticed. A small smirk formed on her face.

"How long has she been like that?" Penguin asked, looking decidedly irritated by Kat's obnoxious screams. Shaking her head a little, Summer rolled her eyes.

"As far as I know, over an hour."

"I'm so sorry." He stated with a completely straight face. "Captain said the whole ransom plan is out the window now, especially after this." Summer snorted.

"Well, I would think so." The two laughed a little at this, but a thought quickly sobered her up. "What's Law planning to do with her now?"

Penguin leaned his head against his hand and gave a tired yawn. It was infectious, and soon most of the crew were stifling yawns of their own as they leaned over tables and chairs. "I don't know. All I know is it won't be pleasant for her."

* * *

_*An hour later*_

"Make sure that IV is hooked in tightly, I don't want anything knocking it loose." Law directed to Bepo, watching as the bear double and triple checked the equipment attached to his mechanic. Satisfied it wouldn't move, he washed his hands off in the sink, watching with a wince at all the blood that came off. Too much for his comfort.

"Do you think they'll be alright Captain?" Bepo asked, glancing between the two men who were currently laying on two of the infirmary beds.

Law had just finished operating on Reid, his focus mainly being the large head wound from the pipe. The wound was extremely serious and Law was worried that losing consciousness would result in him slipping into a coma.

As for Liam, he had silently appreciated the efforts of his two cooks in treating his medic. For having no medical knowledge whatsoever, they had done a great job in keeping him as stable as they possibly could in the situation that had befallen them. He had simply checked the bandages and made sure there were no internal injuries. In regards to Bepo's question, he pondered his answer a moment before speaking.

"As long as he doesn't slip into a coma and nothing begins to bleed in Reid-ya's brain, he should recover. Liam-ya's injuries weren't quite as severe, but I worry about mental trauma. I don't know what this experience could have done to his emotional stability." He stated, not one to sugar coat things when it came to his occupation. Bepo nodded silently and put away the cleaned medical equipment.

"Captain, what are we going to do with the woman?" The bear asked, tilting his head to the side as he looked at him. Law allowed a small grin to show and even chuckled darkly.

"Mrs. Winslow-ya? I'll get to her soon enough. The two of us have much to talk about."


	45. Questions

"Captain, are you going to hurt Kat as well?" Bepo asked, walking with him towards one of the storage closets Law had converted into an interrogation room since their return. It was midday the following day and most of the crew had returned to their daily tasks aboard the submarine. Now that they had departed from the island, running the sub occupied everyone's time. It gave them a chance to forget about the horrible events from earlier and relish the small amount of peace their monotonous jobs offered.

As for Law, it was no surprise when he couldn't get to sleep the previous night. It seemed no one had slept a wink, if the visible bags and less-than-happy attitudes from the crew at breakfast were anything to go by. The effects still hadn't gone away. Law rubbed at the heavy feeling in his eyes as they continued down the hall.

"Probably." He replied. "Why?"

The bear looked to the side, suddenly bashful about bringing the topic up. Just from listening to the others talk in the cafeteria and the dark looks everyone had been shooting towards the kitchen, he knew how the rest of the crew felt about their red-headed prisoner. Especially Summer. He felt Law's curious stare and finally looked back to him.

"Kat hasn't really done anything to us." Law furrowed his brow, but stayed silent to let Bepo finish his thought. "Her mother is the one who tortured Reid and Liam, not Kat. She was locked up on the submarine the whole time. It's probably unlikely that she was involved either since she's spent the last month with us, too.

"She's been pretty harmless to us the entire time she's been on board, apart from the times she accidently injured Summer, Penguin, and Shachi. So why are we punishing her so severely?" The bear asked, watching the captain expectantly.

Law stared straight ahead as they progressed through the metal halls. The air was tense, but whether it was from the recent events or Bepo's question, the bear couldn't tell. All he knew was that the captain was not happy, nor was the crew. Several moments of silence passed and Bepo was starting to worry Law was angry with him.

"Something about her is...off." The captain finally said, in a tone that relieved some of Bepo's worry. He was calm and collected as usual, but not in the menacing way he would often use for confrontations with their enemies. Someone observing wouldn't be able to tell the difference, but Law was Bepo's best friend and captain. He knew him better than anyone.

"Maybe, but she hasn't hurt us yet."

"Yet is the key word." Bepo shook his head.

"Why are we punishing her for the actions of her mother, though?" The captain glanced at his first mate in somewhat confusion.

"Do you feel sympathy for her?" It sounded a bit accusatory, but Bepo was the type to tell the truth and stick with it so he held his ground.

"Well...yeah. I do. Sure, she might irritate everybody, but she hasn't done anything, Captain."

Law continued to frown at him, eventually turning back to the hallway in front of them. A few glances confirmed that the Dark Doctor was lost in his thoughts and Bepo knew better than to intrude. The rest of the way there was silent.

* * *

"I demand you release me this instant!" Scarlet yelled as soon as Law and Bepo entered the room. Even from her position strapped to a chair by both arms and legs, she apparently hadn't lost her pompous nature and anger. Law took up a position in front of her and Bepo stayed by the wall, holding Law's nodachi.

"Hello, Mrs. Winslow-ya. I hope you are comfortable?" Law smirked at her messed up bun and slightly smeared makeup. There were a few rips and tears in her fancy dress, giving her a slightly crazed look as she breathed heavily through her nose.

"You may know my name but I don't think you quite know who you're dealing with." She threatened. "Where is Katrina? What have you done to her?"

"We haven't killed her," Law stated, pulling up a chair from the side and facing the glaring woman before him. "But that can change if I don't hear the answers I want."

His answer shut her up immediately but she didn't look afraid, only angry.

"All I want to do is talk." Law reasoned, slouching a little in his chair to make him less threatening. Scarlet saw it for what it was, mockery, and her mouth became a thin line.

"What is it you really want from me, pirate?" Law immediately dropped the nice act and his smirk fell.

"You almost killed two of my crew. I want revenge."

"Then kill me! Go ahead and do it!" She spat, baring her teeth at him.

"But you see, I want information before you take your last breath. Information that you may know." Scarlet's eyes narrowed and she leaned back in the chair.

"What makes you think I would tell you anything? Either way you'll kill me, right?" Law was an honest man, so he told her the truth.

"Of course, but the fate of your daughter rests on how much you are willing to tell me." A small gasp escaped her lips, just barely audible, before she quickly shut her mouth.

"How do I know you won't kill her anyway?" His smirk widened.

"You don't, but are you willing to risk it?" She looked away, knowing he was right. She also knew that he knew she knew that.

"Do I have your attention now?" He asked in mock politeness.

"What do you want to know?" She said quietly, in defeat and desperation. He folded his hands together in front of him.

"What do you know about the Joker?" She raised an eyebrow.

"He's an underground resource. No, he's  _the_  underground resource. Anybody who is big in business knows about him. What about it?" His eyes narrowed.

"I want information about his recent movements. What he's planning, where he's going, who he's talking with." Scarlet began to shake her head slowly.

"I don't know what you want with that information, but I know one thing. You don't know what you're asking for, pirate. The Joker is not one to be messed with."

"I know exactly who I'm dealing with." His snarled loud enough to make Scarlet physically recoil in her chair as much as she actually could in her position. His hands were in tight fists, which he slowly unclenched as the momentary anger subsided. "Tell me." He demanded quietly.

"Kaido." She whispered, to which he frowned. "There's talk that Joker has met with Kaido recently.

"Where? Why?"

"I don't know either of those. What the Joker does and why is his own business. I don't care to know more than I should."

"When did you hear this?" He asked.

"Maybe two months ago? I'm not sure."

"Who told you?" She hesitated, glancing off to the side before biting her lip in nervousness. "Who told you?" Law asked again, this time louder and more forcefully.

"If I tell you-" She started.

"If you don't tell me, I will not hesitate to take off one of your limbs." He interrupted with pure malice. She squeezed her eyes closed for a moment, probably debating if she could take the pain.

"James ." She whispered forcefully, as if spitting it out quickly would lessen the act of saying it.

"Where is he?"

"He's...on Caelum. It's far into the New World." She squeaked.

Law sat back in his chair and processed this information. Doflamingo working with Kaido was a terrifying thought. But the fact alone wouldn't deter him from getting his revenge on the man who ruined his life so many years ago.

"Are you satisfied?" She hissed, on the verge of tears. He opened his mouth, but closed it as a thought hit him.

"Do you know anything about a man named Viper?"

Law had been watching her face, specifically her eyes, very closely when he asked. He hoped that he would catch her in a lie, that he would watch her eyes widen or look away. However, she merely looked confused.

"No, I haven't."

Somehow, Law knew she was telling the truth and stood up from his chair. The action took Scarlet by surprise and she looked hopefully up at the departing captain desperately.

"You promised you would let my daughter go since I answered your questions! You'll let her go, right?"

As his hand grasped the door handle, he paused and looked to the side. Bepo was waiting right behind him, inquisitively watching his captain as well. Law knew he was just as curious as the woman as to what his answer would be. However, he simply opened the door and left without another word.


	46. Decision

"You're  _what?"_  Summer asked harshly, her eyes wide with disbelief. Her sudden outburst and rapid rise to her feet in the cafeteria full of silent crewmen caused Law to turn his smooth gaze towards her. Several men glanced in her direction, looking visibly uncomfortable in the now packed room.

"Those are my orders, and they will be followed." He retorted crisply from his position standing in front, sweeping his gaze across the rest of the men's faces. Each one looked away uneasily but nodded their understanding. Only Bepo looked unaffected.

"Heh...you can't really...you can't be serious…" She sputtered, running a hand through her unruly hair. Her disgusted face seemed to see right through him. Law's outward demeanor hadn't changed, but internally his patience was beginning to run thin with Summer.

"Do you have a problem with my decision?" He question, to which she threw her hands up in objection.

"Hell yes I do!" She began pacing what space she had in the cramped space, but a few men retreated from her furious figure. "Did you not go through the month we all have had? Did you not feel the anger and irritation we all did?" She gestured to the men around her.

"I did." He replied.

"Then you should agree that we need to just kill her." She pushed. Law let the silence ring through the tense air that surrounded the submarine's mess deck. There were murmurs of agreement and reluctant questions throughout the men. Angry glares at the floor, uncomfortable whispers, heavy sighs, resigned gazes...that is what greeted the captain as he looked to the Heart Pirates.

A sigh of his own escaped his lips and his arms crossed over his chest. "No, I don't."

"And why not?" Summer pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to understand Law's reasoning. You could clearly hear the effort she put through to make her voice sound calmer, it wavered through her anger.

"Yes, Kat-ya has been a rather unpleasant passenger aboard this submarine. She has caused us all countless headaches and unnecessary stress. However, the one who almost killed two of our own was her mother.

"We've taken her hostage and she will be properly punished. I will personally see to that." He commented darkly. Several men cursed the woman quietly, a common hatred in all of their eyes. "But her daughter did not bring harm to either of them. For that she cannot be accused."

Summer opened her mouth to speak but he continued. "Because of that, I will not condemn her to death."

"Then, what are we going to do with her, Captain?" Shachi asked, scratching his head.

"Please tell me we're not letting her join the crew officially." Scott said, a pleading look on his face.

"What's the plan?" Someone in the back shouted. The noise was growing louder, and he raised a hand to quiet the rowdy crew.

"She will not remain on the submarine."

"How are we going to get rid of her?" Bepo spoke now for the first time. Glancing at his first mate, he felt the rest of the eyes in the room stare at him.

"We'll resurface in the morning and set her adrift at sea."

There was a silence as Law watched his crew process and think over this information. It took only a few moments before many started nodding their heads in agreement. Summer however, kept her eyes on the floor stubbornly. It looked like she was trying to burn a hole in the carpet with her gaze alone.

"Are we going to give her any supplies? We don't really have much to spare her since we didn't restock on the island." Casper mentioned. Law forced back a yawn, wondering briefly what time it was. While the sub was submerged it was difficult to tell but something told him it was late at night.

"As you said, we can't spare anything. No food or water, but she will be given a blanket and a pistol with two shots."

"Are you sure she'll be able to survive that? It sounds like a death sentence to me…" Someone muttered.

Law nodded to Bepo, who produced a map from his jumpsuit pocket. The map was spread over a table in the middle of the room where everyone could see. The captain pointed to a spot in the ocean.

"This is our current position. There's an island about two day's travel from here." His finger trailed across the blue section and landed on a small island just to the south. "With the currents around here, she would drift south at a speed that would take her four days to get there. It's possible, if she has the will to hang on for that long."

"It sounds reasonable enough." Bepo said, rolling up the map.

"Shachi-ya, Penguin-ya, I want you up early in the morning with me to figure out where to resurface. Everyone else will have regular duties after this is over. Now get to sleep." Law concluded, and everyone stood up and stretched. The tired crew slowly trickled out of the room and wandered to their beds. The captain watched the room slowly grow empty. However, one figure didn't leave. Who it was didn't surprise him in the least.

"Summer-ya, that was an order." She was still seated at one of the tables, arms crossed and head down. At his voice, she looked up and glared.

"I still don't agree with this. I say we get rid of her now, save us the trouble later." His eyes narrowed.

"Frankly, I don't much care whether you agree or not. My decision has been made. I suggest you get over this issue and move on." Without waiting for a response, he turned his back on her and walked out of the room. He'd had enough of people for one night.

* * *

Summer took the long hallway back to her room at the slowest speed possible, her arms hugging her body tightly. Her mind was racing and she had a giant headache.

' _Why is he letting her go? Doesn't he see something about her isn't right?'_  She shook her head to try to rid of the pulsing pain, but it only made her slightly dizzy.

' _This is a mistake, I can feel it. We should end it now.'_

Glancing to the sides, she saw the other quarters were dark and faint snoring came from behind the doors. Snoring, soft footsteps, and the low hum of the engines were the only noises on the whole sub. It began calming her down, just a little. The events of the past day or so were really taking their toll on her mind and body.

' _Maybe she'll die at sea. Maybe some seagulls will pick at her eye sockets and her corpse will land on some island a thousand miles away. Maybe...maybe...maybe…'_

Looking back up, she stopped. Her head turned and she saw her own room several feet behind her. She had passed it in her wandering thoughts. With another shake of her head, she returned to her door and entered the black room.

* * *

Law finished checking over Reid and Liam for the night before glancing at the clock. It was close to midnight. He put down the two clipboards on his desk and moved to go to his room. He stopped, eyes landing on one of his scalpels he still needed to clean. There was still one more thing he needed to do. With hardened eyes, he snatched up the tool and set out in the opposite direction from his quarters.

The Dark Doctor opened the door carefully and silently, not waking the sleeping woman. She was still strapped hand and foot in the wooden chair, somehow finding sleep in her awkward position. He frowned, deciding that her time being treated humanely was up. Once he was inside he slammed the door closed, jerking the redhead awake in a panic.

After a moment of confusion, her eyes landed on the approaching pirate in fear.

"Wha-what-"

"The rest of my men are currently sleeping, since it's so late at night. I normally wouldn't do this when my crew might be bothered." He said, a smirk slowly forming on his face. "But this room is soundproof. So you can scream as loud as you want."

Scarlet's breath quickened as he walked closer, eyes focused on the scalpel he twirled between his fingers. She could see the excited gleam in his eyes.

"Shall we begin?"


	47. O, Beloved Daughter

For only being 7 in the morning, the sun was already high in the sky. The rays baked the crew as they stood gathered on the deck, waiting for Law and Bepo to return with the captives. Determination and cold indifference was all Summer could see in the faces of her nakama.

Jean Bart stood beside her, towering above everyone else with his arms crossed and eyes closed. Penguin and Shachi were leaning against the railing with their heads down. Reid and Liam were still in the infirmary, neither of them having woken up yet. Scott had his hands stuffed in his pockets as he lazily wandered the small area by the door.

Summer shifted on her feet, glancing over the endless expanse of ocean around them. What was taking them so long? An awkward cough broke the silence, but nobody said anything.

Suddenly the door burst open and Law strode out, nodachi leaned up against his shoulder and his left hand in his pocket. Behind him walked Scarlet, though at this point it was really hard to tell.

Her face was so bloodied and bruised that she was hardly recognizable as the rich, vain woman they had kidnapped less than 48 hours ago. Her black sequined dress was gone, replaced with a ragged brown shirt and grey, loose-fitting pants that didn't reach her ankles. Numerous cuts and gashes marked her arms and legs, many of them inflamed with infection. Narrowing her eyes, Summer thought she saw singe marks across her face. It looked like sections of her hair had been burned, the tips matted in black soot.

Behind her walked Kat, completely untouched. Her porcelain skin was still as pale as the day she had been brought aboard. Her mouth was down turned in a small frown, her brows furrowed in thought. Today, the two women were polar opposites of their normally boisterous selves. Summer almost laughed.

Bepo brought up the rear, holding a blanket and pistol in his hands. Summer thought the bear would have been uneasy about doing this, but he didn't look concerned or anxious. In fact, he looked just as set as Law.

The captain stopped in front of the railing, where down below a yellow inflatable raft had been tied to the edge. It rocked lazily on the waves. Locking eyes with David, one of the engineers, he nodded and the subordinate threw a rope ladder over the side where it landed in the raft below.

Summer watched as Law turned and surveyed his crew, his eyes finally coming to rest on the two women. "Kat-ya." He said. The girl looked up in surprise.

"While you did not have a hand in the kidnapping of my men, your fate aboard this submarine has already been decided. You cannot remain on this vessel, and as such you and your mother will be set adrift in the ocean. We cannot give you food or water, but you will be given a blanket and a pistol with two shots."

Bepo stepped towards the girl, holding out the provisions. She slowly took them without a word. Her face hadn't changed.

"Mrs. Winslow-ya." He said, to which the woman physically flinched. Summer raised a brow, wondering just how much her time with Law the night before had affected her. The red head recoiled away from him, barely making eye contact. However, the captain didn't smirk like Summer thought he would at her display of weakness.

"This is your death sentence. You will not survive on this ocean with the condition you are in. There is no guarantee your daughter will either, but she has a small chance."

"Yes." She croaked in response, her pride and ego thoroughly crushed.

"They say starvation and dehydration is one of the worst ways to die." Law continued, his eyes narrowing in anger. "For your sake, I hope that's true." He then nodded towards the ladder and the two women slowly shuffled forward.

Scarlet had a difficult time making her way downwards, but Summer knew that nobody would jump to aid her down to what was essentially her coffin. David, however, did offer Kat a hand up the railing. Summer knew David only a little, but she knew his honor as a man prevented him from withholding that small courtesy. Kat didn't meet his eyes and quickly descended the ladder into the raft below.

Tendrils of hair blew into Summer's face and she realized that the wind had picked up. At a word from Law, David untied the rope holding the raft to the railing and everyone watched as the yellow vessel slowly drifted away from their submarine. Summer expected to see Kat watching the crew, but the girl's head was turned away.

"Be ready to submerge in five minutes!" Law shouted, prompting everyone into action. Men filed back inside the sub and Law disappeared with Bepo inside. Jean Bart and her stayed back, waiting for the crowd to thin before they moved.

"You do not look satisfied." The ex-captain commented, startling Summer out of her thoughts. She looked up in surprise and lifted an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?"

"You have wanted to be rid of her since her arrival. So why are you still uneasy?" She pursed her lips and sighed. To be honest, she really wasn't altogether sure herself. There was just this...feeling that something still wasn't right.

' _Am I still jealous for some reason?'_  She wondered. Law had already stated he had and wanted nothing to do with Kat, so shouldn't that stop her from feeling that way? The girl was gone now, so she wouldn't have to deal with her incessant talking and endless questions. That stress was alleviated. So what was it?

' _Trust your instincts.'_  Something inside of her whispered. ' _They will guide your way.'_

She still hadn't answered the navigator's question. Realizing this, she shook her head slowly. "I'm not really sure. It just doesn't feel like anything has really ended...you know?"

He eyed her evenly, thinking about his response before he stated it. "No, I do not fully understand. She has been set adrift and we will be submerging. We won't see her again."

He gestured to the door, which had now mostly cleared of men. The two headed inside. Summer didn't say anything, not wanting to express to the wise giant of a man that she definitely had her doubts.

* * *

Kat watched her mother without interest as she tried to use a tip of the blanket dipped in the water to clean off her face. Each touch had her wincing and hissing in pain.

"Those bastards." She said, trying once again to wash the blood out of her horrid clothing.

Kat said nothing, looking out over the ocean in thought. The submarine had dipped below the waves in a frothy white foam a few hours ago. Now what was one to do? Her mother's voice broke her concentration.

"Katrina, dear, they didn't hurt you did they? I swear, if they touched y-"

"I'm fine." She replied, cutting off her worried mother quickly. Scarlet sat wide eyed, silenced by her daughter's sharp retort. However, her forehead creased once again in worry. There were several minutes of uneasy silence, punctuated by the gulls cawing overhead. Kat squinted in the sun, trying to see the birds circling their raft in curiosity.

"I've missed you since you-" Kat glared back, effectively stopping the beaten woman in her tracks. However, the end of conversation didn't last too long.

"You don't seem yourself, Katrina. I bet those shameless pirates brainwashed my little angel with their-"

"Please, stop." Kat said. Her patience was really starting to thin.

"But I worry about you! Don't go down the same path as your delinquent sister! I can't imagine how cruel it must have been to-"

"I've had enough of you."

The last thing Scarlet Winslow registered was the detached, uncaring demeanor on her daughter's face before the sound of the gunshot ended her consciousness. The whole in her head slowly leaked blood, and her eyes glazed over. Her body stayed upright for only a moment before falling backwards into the ocean.

Lowering her arm, Kat ejected the used bullet and loaded the last one. Realizing the blanket was in danger of sliding into the water with her mother's body, she quickly grabbed it and yanked. What had been holding on her mother's legs came free and she watched as her corpse sank down into the depths below.

Setting the pistol to the side, she searched her jacket pockets for the small personal den den mushi she carried. Quickly punching in the number she wanted, she waited.

Purupurupuru...purupurupurupuru...puru...gatcha…

"Who the hell is this? What do you want?" An angry voice answered. Kat smiled brightly.

"Hiya sis!" On the other end, she heard a heavy sigh and the shuffling of clothing.

"Damn it all…" Her sister muttered. "Why don't you put a bullet in your head and die already?"

"Haha, you've always been hilarious, sis! Anyways, things have changed! Where are you guys at?"

She heard her take a long drag of her cigarette and she pouted." Hey, don't tell me you're still smoking those things? You know they're bad for you!"

"This is me not giving a shit." She sneered. "We're on Ignis, dumbass."

"Alright! I'll get to see you soon then! Will you tell Magneson that I need a lift? I'm kinda stuck in the middle of nowhere right now!" She giggled, causing her sister to sigh once more.

"Whatever, I'll tell him if I feel like it. Now hang up and go to hell."

"Alrighty! Love you too sis! Bye!" She hung up and put the snail phone away, making sure not to lose it.

Folding up the blanket, she placed it at one end of the boat and lay her head on it. Closing her eyes, she sighed in comfort. All she had to do now was wait.


	48. The Wrong Words With Good Intentions

"How are you feeling?"

Liam tried lifting himself into a sitting position on the bed. When his arms started quivering Summer gently helped him up. He grimaced a little and gave a nod in thanks.

"Still really stiff and sore, but otherwise ok." He stubbornly scratched at the bandages wrapped around his chest, earning a small glare from Summer.

"What did Law tell you about doing that?" She asked, to which he sighed heavily.

"I'm telling you, I can get up and start walking. I'm fine now." He moved to swing his legs over the side of the bed, but Summer stopped him with a hand on his chest.

"Ah ah, sit your ass back down in that bed and stay there until Law tells you you can leave." He slowly leaned back, and she laughed at his pained face.

"What are you laughing at?" He whined.

"Nothing, just that medics make the worst patients."

"Shut up…"

"Sometimes you're just as stubborn as Law." He leaned all the way back against the cot and sighed again.

"Are there any books or something lying around? I'm losing my mind just sitting here." With a grin, she stood and left the infirmary in search of reading material.

"I'll get you some. And don't even think about getting up while I'm gone because I will know and I will hurt you." She pointed two of her fingers at her narrowed eyes and then turned them towards Liam. This earned her a small grin before she was out the door.

In the hall, Summer smiled quietly to herself. The sub hadn't been the same without Liam's quiet confidence and subtle sass. She'd missed having someone to talk to in earnest. Sure, there were others on the sub she was friends with, but Liam had been the first person she'd bonded with when she'd sneaked on board the yellow submarine.

Finding Shachi and Penguin's quarters, she rapped loudly and waited. There wasn't an answer. They were probably in the engine room or the mess deck, and she didn't want to intrude, so she went off to look in Liam's room for books.

Opening the door slowly, she peeked her head inside. Liam's room was neat and orderly, just like she would expect it to be. Like the rest of the quarters on the sub, it was pretty spartan. A closet, a dresser, a side table, a bed, and some personal items were all that decorated the inside. Closing the door behind her, she paced across the floor to the small bedside table. Opening the top drawer, she moved a few pictures over.

Something caught the light and Summer picked it up in curiosity. It was a necklace, with the pendant in the shape of a bird. Distracted, she eyed the purple gems in the place of the eyes and smirked.

' _Just like mine.'_  She wondered.

Deciding that she had snooped enough, she returned the bird back to its spot in the drawer and closed it. A search of the bottom drawer proved futile and she stood up with a sigh.

' _Who else has books?'_  She asked herself. Immediately, she remembered who and set off toward his quarters.

' _I hope he's in here.'_  She rapped on the door and waited. For a moment, there was nothing. She was starting to leave when soft footsteps approached the door, and a moment later it swung open.

An exhausted-looking Law stood behind it, eyeing her curiously. "Do you need something?" He asked softly. She gave a small smile.

"Liam was asking for something to read, and I was wondering if I could borrow one of your books? I know you have lots of them in there." She gestured behind the captain. He unconsciously rubbed at the sleep in his eyes for a moment, which Summer didn't miss.

' _He really needs more sleep.'_  She thought idly. Giving a small nod, he opened the door slightly for her. Her eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"You want me to come in?" She stuttered, to which he raised a brow.

"I'm currently in the middle of something. I assumed you would pick one of them yourself." It took a moment to recover from her surprise. Realizing she was gawking, she tried to explain.

"Well I just...you know...it's your room so I thought…" He grinned at her disjointed thoughts.

"Thought what, Summer-ya?" She glared, fully aware that he was enjoying her distress. Well, she wasn't about to give him front row seats to her own stupidity and social awkwardness.

"Whatever." She said, pushing past him into the room. The room was dark, and her eyes took a moment to adjust to the lighting.

Law's room was colored much darker than those of the crew. The walls were darker grey and the furniture inside seemed to match the gloomier tone. There wasn't much inside, just like the rest of the rooms, but it seemed more...sophisticated and...scholarly.

It wasn't as neat as Liam's either. Books were everywhere. Books with pages opened lined the back edge of his desk, where a small lamp was on and his usual mug of coffee steamed. The bookshelf at the back was filled to the brim, and small sheets of paper stuck out here and there.

' _Stop staring and grab a book.'_  She mentally shook her head and moved towards the bookshelf.

"Which ones can I take?" She asked. He returned to his seat at his desk without looking at her.

"Anything on the shelf. Just don't lose any of the loose paper."

Turning back to the shelf, she scanned the shelves. A finger on her chin, she examined the spines meticulously as she read the titles.

' _Diseases of South Blue And Their Treatments. Medicinal Plants. Basics of Human Anatomy and Physiology. Cranial Surgical Procedures.'_

"What do you think Liam would like?" She wondered aloud.

"How would I know that?" Law asked, exasperated as he flipped a page of his book. Now Summer huffed in annoyance, spinning on her heel and placing a hand on her hip.

"Well, you know him better than I do. I know he wants to be a better medic, but I'm not sure exactly what he likes to study."

Placing his coffee mug down and pushing up from his chair with another sigh, he straightened and walked over to the bookshelf. His eyes quickly scanned the titles until he found one he liked.

"Here." She took the book and flipped it over to the cover.

"Advanced Guide to Toxicology?" She read, and he nodded in response.

"Liam-ya has always been interested in curing poisons and toxins. I don't believe he has read that one yet."

"Ok, I'll make sure to bring it back once he's done."

"One more thing." Law said, and she looked in surprise at the second book he held out to her. It was the Human Anatomy and Physiology book she had seen earlier.

"Doesn't Liam already know that stuff?" She asked curiously. She took it, hesitantly.

"That one is for you to study." She frowned, but he continued. "Learning the basics of the human body could potentially improve your sword fighting, and improve your technique with your daggers. You might be able to aim your attacks better. And you might just learn something." He said, walking back over to his desk. Looking over them one more time, she pressed the books against her chest.

"Alright, if you say so. Just get some sleep alright? You look like crap." He only grunted in reply. There really wasn't any reason not to learn this stuff, so she shrugged and walked back out the door leaving Law to his own studying.

* * *

"Where'd you get this?" Liam asked, turning random pages in the Poisons book. His attention was rapt on the illustrations inside and the formulas and ratios it contained.

"Law gave it to me. He said you hadn't read it before and that you were really into poisons and stuff." He nodded absently, still glued to the book in front of him.

She shook her head and rolled her eyes. "Is there anything else I could get you?" He glanced up and smiled.

"Nah, thanks for the book though. Now I get how you felt when you first got here."

"Oh yeah, you're right! I forgot about that." She laughed, thinking back to when Liam had been the one to take care of her. The situation was almost exactly the same, but the roles were switched.

"Makes you think, doesn't it?" Liam wondered, his eyes taking on a faraway look. Summer watched him in curiosity, and before she could stop it, the sentence burst from her.

"I saw that necklace in your drawer." The change was instantaneous. His eyes took on a sudden clarity but there was no expression behind them, as if something inside him had shut off.

"Yeah?" He asked tonelessly. She frowned slightly in worry.

"I'm sorry for snooping, but I was looking for books for you to read. I-I was just wondering who it was for."

He looked away, and she couldn't see his expression. Summer knew she had said the wrong thing, and all she could hope now was that he wouldn't explode in her face.

"Someone I used to care for deeply." His outward appearance was calm, but she knew better. Summer gulped, cautioning a glance at his face that was now turned towards her.

"Umm...what happened to them?" His jaw tightened and there was an uncomfortable pause as he sorted his emotions with an effort.

"She loved another man."

"Oh...I'm sorry, Liam."

"Yeah...I am too."

Neither of them said anything else, retreating into their own thoughts. Liam awkwardly cleared his throat in the uncomfortable atmosphere and Summer stood up hurriedly, causing the stool to fall backwards to the ground. The banging reverberated throughout the room.

"I-I should probably...go now." She tried straightening the stool again, sputtering excuses as she went. Liam just watched her with sorrow in his eyes.

"Yeah, you probably should." He dug himself deeper under the thin covers, turning away from Summer. "Captain might be looking for you or something." She furrowed her brows.

"Why would Law need me?" With a sigh, he shook his head closing his eyes.

"Nevermind."

"But-"

"Just go." He said quietly. She grabbed the Anatomy book from the side table timidly, as if he would suddenly bite her if she got too close.

"...Ok."

She swiftly turned on her heel and pushed out the double doors of the infirmary. Once outside, she slid her back down the wall. Hanging her head in her hands, she closed her eyes and let out the breath she didn't know she'd been holding.

' _Why does this always happen?'_  She thought. ' _Why do I always open my damn mouth and ruin whatever friendships I do have?'_ She was thankful that there was no one in the hallway with her at the moment.

For the first time in a long time, she cried.

* * *

Pururururu...pururururu...purururu...gatcha.

"Report."

"Captain, I've picked up a ship on the radar." Jean Bart said, watching the small green dot at the very edge of the monitor. He narrowed his eyes as it dropped just below the range of detection for the third time that hour. A few moments later, it drifted back on the screen.

"I'm assuming they're not just passing us by?" Law guessed.

"They've been following us for the past two hours, right at the edge of our perception."

"I'll be down in a moment." He hung up the snail phone and so did the navigator.

A few minutes later, Law walked through the navigation room door and approached the screen. He eyed the dot and narrowed his eyes, straightening up in thought.

"Why am I only hearing about this now?" Jean Bart was unfazed by the slight accusation.

"They've not been aggressive in their movements up to this point. At first I believed they were simply crossing paths with us, but they've drifted in and out of our radar's reach several times now. Only in the past hour have they stayed for prolonged period of time."

"Interesting…" Law said, more to himself than to the ex-captain. He rubbed his goatee in thought, staring idly at the screen as the ship once again drifted out of their detection. They both watched as ten minutes later the ship reappeared.

"Keep an eye on their movements. As of right now they aren't a threat, but as soon as they break their current pattern alert me."

"Aye, Captain."

* * *

"Commander Mona, please report." Marine Headquarters said through the den den mushi. She gave an audible sigh and rubbed at her forehead.

"Still in pursuit of the Heart Pirates. We haven't had any luck as far as leads to their whereabouts."

"We've had several reports of a kidnapping on Elysium for Mrs. Scarlet Winslow. No solid information can be obtained at this point, but the staff of the household state that a pirate crew with a female assassin infiltrated the mansion and took the lady of the house." Commander Mona's brows furrowed.

"How could they just kidnap someone with such protection like that? Surely somebody saw more detail than that?"

"Negative, no positive I.D's were made. Most of the staff were caught by surprise or couldn't remember major details."

"Dammit…" She muttered, squeezing her hand into a tight fist. They were always so close, just never close enough.

"We did get a report of a yellow vessel heading west of the island, however. We suggest you start your search in that direction."

Well, it wasn't much but it was a start. "Roger that." She hung up the snail phone and leaned her head back.

That helpless feeling just wouldn't go away.


	49. No Rest For The Wicked

"Hya!" Summer shouted as she swung the sword at the leather dummy, driving the sharp blade deep into the bound support. It hit with a satisfying thunk and stuck to the post. With a grin, she yanked back the blade and flicked it to the side. At a glance, the strike wasn't much, but to her it was perfect. Right where she had wanted to aim it. Her arm swung the blade up once more, but was stopped by a loud shout to her left.

"No, you gotta put more force behind it, baka!" Turning her head, she saw Shachi once again yelling at Penguin. The two were in the middle of their own training, facing each other with swords. Smirking, she wiped at the sweat dripping down her forehead with her sleeve and walked over to the wall to sit down, placing the sword against the wall next to her. She'd been at it for hours and now decided she deserved a break.

"What are you talking about? That last attack was perfect!" Shachi snorted in disbelief.

"Yeah, perfectly terrible." Penguin bared his teeth, the only thing you could really see of his face. Summer always wondered what it was with this crew and hats, but she didn't say anything about it. In all honesty, it was kinda cute.

The two continued to talk smack, and Summer's attention drifted to the post she had been hacking away at for the past two hours. It was well and truly mottled with sword strikes. The red cloth she had attached to the middle, her target, had been cut free from the post from the constant attacks against it, and Summer smiled to herself in satisfaction.

' _I'm getting better, little by little.'_  Closing her eyes, her thoughts sobered her pleased feeling. ' _Soon, I'll be able to kill you, Viper. I can feel it coming.'_

More yelling made her open her eyes, bringing her out of her thoughts. She once again noticed the two friends arguing, still trash talking each other and actually forgetting what they were supposed to be doing: loud antics made her roll her eyes.

"There's no way you could beat me with those arm muscles." Penguin shouted, pointed towards the other engineer's arms.

"Well, you fight like a girl!" Shachi yelled back, but then immediately turned to Summer nervously. "No offense, Summer-chan. You fight awesome."

Taking a swig of water from her bottle with a low chuckle, she waved it off good-naturedly. Shachi sent a smile of his own, but was shoved by Penguin.

"Well, why don't you keep your eyes on your opponent, baka! Rule number one of sword fighting!"

"Then bring it on, baka!"

"Get ready to lose, baka!"

"Guys!" Summer shouted, bringing the attention to herself. She laughed at their bewildered expressions, as if they had forgotten she was even in the room. Pushing to her feet, she grabbed the practice sword and walked over to them.

"Don't you think you should get back to actually practicing instead of standing here yelling at each other?" She asked with a chuckle. The two looked decidedly abashed, and gave their shoulders a small pat." We all get into it, but we gotta get better, you know?"

"Right…" They muttered. Finally taking up defensive positions, Summer left them to their sparring. She set the sword back on the rack and pushed open the training room door. The cooler air outside chilled the sweat that clung to her skin, and a shiver ran down her back.

Glancing around, she took a whiff under her arms and grimaced. She seriously stank, no thanks to the hours of practice. Quickly turning around, she made her next destination the showers.

No one passed Summer by in the hallway, to which she was thankful. She didn't think any of the others would have wanted to get a sniff of her like this. Stopping by her room first for fresh clothes, she wrinkled her nose every time she got a whiff of herself.

Entering the large bathroom, she spotted the towels on the laundry rack and grabbed one. One sniff confirmed that it was clean, and she headed towards the farthest stall. She silently, begrudgingly, thanked Law for designating this stall only to her. That way, she wouldn't have any shower fiasco she had so feared when first joining the crew. She guessed even Law knew a girl had to have her privacy.

Sliding the curtain shut, she began undressing, placing her clothing in a small compartment in the wall which had a door on it to prevent her stuff from getting wet. It felt amazing to get the sweat-caked tank top and pants off of her, and she quickly closed the little compartment door after placing the towel in as well.

Steam rose up through the stall as the water hit the perfect temperature and she let the stream cascade down her face and body. She kneaded shampoo through her long locks, massaging her scalp with her narrow fingers gently.

Closing her eyes, she tilted her head back in bliss and allowed her mind to wander.

Unfortunately for her.

' _There's nothing between Kat-ya and I.'_ Law's face, so close to hers, jumped it's way into her head and she forced her eyes open as soon as it came.

' _No! Baka, Summer, Baka!'_  She rubbed at her face in hopes of snapping herself out of this ridiculous mood she was in. Whatever this was, it was pissing her off. Taking even breaths, she analyzed what exactly she was feeling, deciding it was better if she knew what this was than to push it away immediately.

One thing popped into her head instantly: she wanted to kiss him again. To say her lips ached for it would be an understatement. It was almost a pain at that moment, brought about by the stupid image of her captain so close. It was so vivid in her mind, she could almost feel his warm breath against her face as he leaned in, could almost feel his heart beat in tandem with her own, could nearly see his gray eyes staring into her violet ones.

"Dammit…" She muttered aloud as she placed her head against the tiled wall, realizing she'd been daydreaming, standing there unmoving as the water continued to rain down on her body. She even forgot she hadn't washed out the shampoo yet, and now brought her hair under the water to rinse it out.

Through the pattering of water, Summer heard the bathroom door open and then close, meaning someone had entered. She waited a few seconds before hearing another shower head turn on.

Quickly finishing with conditioner, she rinsed it out as well and turned off the faucet. The soft fabric was wonderful against her wet, heated skin. Putting on the soft, cotton shirt and shorts was even better. Throwing her hair up in the wrapped towel, she grabbed her dirty clothes and opened the shower curtain.

Whoever had entered was still washing up, but she left before she unpleasantly found out who. The trip back to her room was uneventful, and she threw her clothes into her hamper in the corner.

"Ahh…" Summer let out a contented sigh and threw herself onto her bed. Arms spread out on either side of her and hair fanned out around her head, she stared up at the ceiling.

Once again, the scene from the infirmary rose to prominence in her mind and she shut her eyes in frustration. Obviously this wasn't going to go away anytime soon. So what was she supposed to do?

' _Go with it.'_ The back part of her brain said, and it seemed to echo back and forth across her mind until it felt like it would explode. Too tired to tell it to shut up, she fell asleep.

* * *

Law turned the last page of the third medical textbook that day, leaning back in his chair with a groan. He rubbed at his eyes, wishing for the thousandth time that he wasn't so severely an insomniac. The days lacking sleep was really starting to take its toll, mentally and physically. He'd had to read whole pages of the book several times when his mind started to drift into thinking absolutely nothing.

Glancing at the empty coffee cup that sat on his desk, he wisely chose not to get up and ask Casper to start the fourth pot of coffee that day. Getting up, he stalked slowly over to his bed and all but toppled onto the sheets.

' _Just an hour...'_  He told himself.  _An hour of rest and then one more book.'_  The silence lulled him into a deeper and deeper rest, and his mind had almost shut off completely, granting him that sweet…

Purururu...purururururu...pururururu…

Opening his eyes, he stared up at the ceiling for a moment, cursing whatever it was that just  _had_  to come up at  _that moment._  He was pretty sure karma disliked him very much, because she sure wasn't giving him any leeway. For a moment, he just listened to the ringing, debating whether it was worth answering. Caution won out in the end. With a sigh, he lifted himself off the bed and picked up the den den mushi on the desk.

Purururu...purururu...gatcha.

"Report." He said, not realizing just how tired he sounded, unconsciously rubbing at his eyes again.

"Captain, the following ship has changed its pattern and is now slowly gaining on us." He picked up his hat and placed it on his head, before grabbing his nodachi that leaned on the wall.

"How long until they overtake us?" There was a pause before Jean Bart answered in a confident tone.

"An hour at most."

"Keep an eye on them, and give me a fifteen minute warning. I expect we'll need to be prepared for a fight." He said.

"Aye, Captain." The ex-captain hung up the line and Law did the same. With a longing glance towards his bed, he quickly pushed out of his darkened quarters. He would rest after this was all over.


	50. One Hell of a Test

"Sir! We've spotted the enemy's submarine on our radar! We should intercept them in approximately one hour." One of the navigators shouted, looking towards the Vice Admiral for orders. He stood with arms crossed, looking out towards the sea intensely. A long silence stretched, and the Marine glanced around at the senior Marines in confusion, but it seems they didn't notice the strange behavior. Why wasn't he answering? He was sure he had heard him report. The Vice Admiral's eyes hadn't shifted from the front viewing window, and he began to squirm uncomfortably. Had he done something wrong, and on his first day of service no less? Maybe he should've…

"The ocean is much like life, is it not? As far-reaching as the dreams and ambitions of the innocent citizens of the world. The waves and swirling waters must be the hardships and challenges that befall our meager years on this earth." The Vice Admiral said in a low voice, slowly trailing a finger down his salt and pepper mustache in thought.

"Uhh…" Not sure what he was talking about, he glanced around one more time at the others, noticing that he was the only one apparently confused. "Umm...sir?" He questioned. The Vice Admiral's thick, gray eyebrows rose slightly.

"It's as if the rising sun defined the very ideas and inventions of the human mind itself, slowly reaching it's peak and quietly slipping away again. It's a sort of tragic beauty."

The marine, at this point, was frowning heavily at the strange talk of his leader. What had he signed up for exactly?

One of the senior officers, probably noticing the bewildered expression on the new recruit's face, tapped him on the shoulder.

"Just give the report and get on with your job. Don't worry about if he heard you, he knows what you said."

"But, what is he even talking about?" He whispered fervently, gesturing to the Vice Admiral behind them who still gazed out the same window. He hadn't moved at all. The senior officer shrugged.

"He has a thing for beautiful things. He's just that way, man. Let it go." Turning back to the navigation system, he left the confused recruit to his own work.

* * *

"An enemy ship is approaching and will reach us in fifteen minutes. Prepare for battle, we will be surfacing soon. Summer-ya, come to the navigation room immediately." Law's voice came through the intercom, but Summer was already awake and lacing up her combat boots. She double checked that there wasn't any loose fabric on the tank top and black skinny jeans she was wearing. Satisfied that everything was fine, she grabbed her daggers off the table by the bed and strapped them on. Heading out into the hall, she followed the flow of people. Branching off into the hall that took her to the navigation room, she set at a brisk walk to get there quicker.

"You called me?" Law glanced up from the radar screen and nodded. He was holding a sword in his hand which he then tossed to Summer. Catching it, she gave him a questioning look. "What's this for?"

"Practicing your swordsmanship on dummies is all well and good, but it's time you tried it on actual opponents who want to kill you." He picked up his own nodachi which had been leaning on the wall.

"How do they even know where we are? We're underwater."

"The only way to detect us would be with a radar system, much like the one we have."

"Makes sense I guess." Nodding her head in understanding she brought her attention back to the sword in her hands. Unsheathing the weapon, Summer inspected the sharpened blade in detail. The sword had been well kept, free from any nicks or rusty spots. She strapped it to her belt and adjusted it until it felt secure.

"This is a test, then?" She asked, watching as Law gave a few more orders to Jean Bart, who would remain behind in case they needed to submerge on a moment's notice.

"To a degree. Of course, if you fail, you die." He smirked slightly before heading out the door towards the main door. Summer rolled her eyes.

"Better not fail then." She muttered, trotting after him.


	51. Isn't Death Beautiful?

The entire crew stood on the deck, watching as the Marine ship slowly closed the distance between them. No one spoke. No one moved. Every once in a while, they glanced at their captain. He leaned against the door to the inside, hat low over his eyes as he apparently rested. But they all knew him well enough to know he was far from being careless. Tiny movement of the brim indicated his searching eyes saw everything that was going on.

Summer stood towards the front, with a clear view of the Marine vessel. She clenched and unclenched her hand around the hilt of her sword, becoming familiar with its shape in her hand.

' _Finally...'_  A part of her thought. ' _Kill those who oppose you.'_

* * *

On the deck of the opposing ship, the pirates could see the Marines scrambling around the deck, grabbing weapons and adjusting the sails as they advanced. It was a chaotic, disorganized mess.

When there was only 100 yards or so between them, one of the marines spoke up through a voice projector.

"Heart Pirates! You are under arrest! Lay down your weapons and surrender yourselves."

Law didn't respond. Though, he didn't really have to. Summer, apparently fed up with doing nothing, rolled her eyes and yelled back. "Ok, we give up!"

There was a pause as the Marines processed her answer. Murmurs erupted from the opposing deck, and many men lowered their weapons in confusion. The man holding the voice projector opened his mouth repeatedly only to close it once more. It took a moment for him to recover. Their ships had drifted closer and closer, to where there was only about 50 feet between them.

"R-really? You're giving up?" He asked.

' _Are they really that gullible?'_  Law thought, almost disappointed with the lack of intelligence in their opponents.

With a smirk, Summer drew her weapon. Those around her did the same, eager grins plastering their own faces. An almost maniacal giggle sounded through her. "Hell no!"

She gave him captain a look, and he pushed off from the wall slightly. "Room." Law muttered, lifting a hand lazily. His room swallowed both decks, surrounding the two vessels entirely. "Shambles." With a flick of his fingers, the entire crew was transported onto the Marine ship.

All hell broke loose.

"Attack!" The Marine's shouted as they tried to bring up their weapons in defense. Many of them were too late, being cut down by his crew within seconds. The metallic smell of blood quickly assaulted everyone's noses.

Law lowered his hand, removing his room in the process. He took a step towards the ship but stopped when his vision started to swim. Leaning back against the wall, he squeezed his eyes shut against the now raging headache.

' _Dammit...'_  He thought. The lack of sleep from the previous week now crashed down on him all at once. He brought a hand to his temple in a vain effort to stop his head from pulsing profusely. ' _Why now?'_

His vision cleared only just, but enough for him. Shaking his head against such weakness he pushed off the wall and joined the fight.

* * *

 _Slash._  A man to her left fell to his knees, trying to cover his slit throat with his hands.  _Clang._  Summer blocked the attack of a man coming from behind her, bringing the sword up just in time to catch it with her own blade. Kicking him in the stomach, she stabbed downwards when he stumbled onto his back.

"Ahh…" A Marine stumbled next to her, eyes wide in fear as Penguin slowly advanced. The crewmates locked eyes, nodding an acknowledgement. Summer flitted through the crowd, leaving Penguin with his opponent.

She glanced at the sword in her hand, liking the way it performed in actual combat. It was definitely heavier and bulkier than her daggers but it had much more power behind each attack. She could easily get used to using it.

' _Below.'_  Her mind told her, and she jumped to the left just in time to avoid part of the wooden deck exploding upwards. Sliding a safe distance away, she saw that a large wooden spike had emerged from the deck. She narrowed her eyes when a man's figure formed out of the spike.

"I'm surprised you dodged that attack so easily, pirate." The man mocked, walking towards her slowly. Summer straightened from her crouch, wiping blood out of her face as she did.

"Well, I'm not your run-of-the-mill outlaw, you know." The screaming and sounds of clashing swords slowly fell away as the two opponents faced one another. She glanced at his uniform, a special badge attached to the sleeve. "And it seems you're not a run-of-the-mill Marine either."

He grinned, his arm forming into a wooden spear. "I'm Toma, eater of the Wood Devil Fruit." He stated it proudly and confidently, as if his was a name that was feared across the ocean. Summer faked a surprised expression.

"Really?" She asked to which he grinned wider, lifting his head up in arrogance. "Hmm…" She brought a finger to her chin, a moment later shaking her head. "Never heard of you."

His eyes widened in shock. "R-really? You haven't? I'm sure you would've at least heard it passingly…" He scratched the back of his head in perplexed disappointment. Rolling her eyes, she brought up her sword again.

"Can we just fight please? Enough talk." Her comment snapped him out of it and he readied his wooden spear.

"Very well."

They charged each other, Summer leading slightly left. They met in the middle and crossed blades. She was surprised to find his wooden weapon did not crack or break against the force of her own. Looking at the shiny blackened coating, she realized why.

As if reading her mind, he smirked again. "Don't think you can break through my Busoshoku Haki that easily, girl." Pulling back, he made to stab her while her guard was down, but she jumped back away from the tip of the blade.

"Girl?" She snorted, once against blocking his thrust towards her lower stomach. He slashed at her left, and she suddenly held her ground. They pushed against each other's blades, testing their strength. "I may look young, but don't go underestimating me."

"What harm could you do to me?" He laughed and jumped backwards. "Impalement!" Toma's body morphed down into the ship's deck and he disappeared. A small rumbling grew louder and Summer jumped to the side. Another wooden spike broke through the deck, sending broken debris in all directions. That one quickly dissolved and the rumbling sounded again.

Summer leaped again, this time inspecting the deck closely. The new spike was already beginning to recede into the deck again, but she wasn't paying attention to that. Her eyes narrowed on the previous spots he had emerged from.

Wherever he broke through, his attack left a gaping hole in the ship. Smirking at the forming plan in her mind, she once again heard the distinct rumbling of Toma's attack. She jumped onto the railing to escape the pointed spike that emerged.

Toma resumed his human form and stood next to the gaping hole he had created. He was panting low under his breath, probably to prevent her from hearing it. Tilting her head to the side, she raised an eyebrow.

"Can you even aim, bro?" He frowned in anger, before morphing into the deck once more. The tell-tale rumbling grew louder and she jumped at the last second. Toma's attack went directly into the wooden railing, sending broken wood pieces flying into the ocean.

' _Good.'_ She thought. ' _He's not paying attention.'_

She ran towards the main mast, shoving people aside as she went. Her sword may have accidentally sliced a few arms and torsos as she went, but she wasn't keeping track.

Placing her back against the wooden beam, she glanced around for Toma. "Baka, you couldn't hit me even if you tried!" She shouted over the sounds of combat. The ground started to rumble and she grinned, readying herself to jump once again.

Her eyes wandered as she waited for the attack. Up by the wheel, she saw Law and who she assumed to be the Marine Captain locked in combat. Her eyes widened in alarm and her breath caught.

Law was losing.

* * *

Law jumped onto the deck of the Marine ship, slowly making his way through the bloodied bodies and flashing swords as his crew fought against their enemies. He killed a man here and there to make his way to the main deck, intent on one man's gaze.

The Marine captain, a Commander by the look of his jacket, stood on the top deck with his arms crossed. He hadn't participated in the fight at all, just watched as his men and Law's own battled it out below him.

His head was still raging, possibly even worse than before, but he couldn't be bothered with that at the moment. It was his job to take out the leader. And so he would. Even if it killed him.

"Hiya! Ha! Take that!" Bepo flew past Law in a flying kick, aimed at a Marine that had set his sights on the pirate captain. He went back into his ready position, alert to anyone that would hurt his friend.

"Yah! Captain, we'll take care of these guys!" Bepo said, examining him in concern. "Are you alr-"

"I'm fine, Bepo." He continued up the stairs to the deck, holding back a wince as his peripheral vision began to black out. He was in no shape to fight. But he had to.

Ascending the final step, he stopped when the Marine Commander sighed heavily.

"It is like a prophecy, the way the sun is near setting." He said, caused Law to narrow his eyes in confusion. With his back still turned towards the Heart captain, he continued. "The ending of the day marks the ending of the battle, a natural conclusion."

Law looked out over the ocean, watching as the sun only touched the horizon. The sky was a deep orange.

"Wouldn't you say it was quite beautiful, Trafalgar Law?" Now, the Marine was facing him. His hand gripped the standard marine sword tightly, but with a grace that exuded ability and confidence.

"You've been following us."

If the Commander was disappointed that Law did not answer his question, he did not show it.

"The duties of a man in service are only those to the people he wishes to protect. A tragic beauty, if I ever heard one."

Law sighed in exasperation. Why did they always encounter the strange ones?

"Enough of this." He muttered, raising his hand to waist height. "Room."

He barely had time to form his room before he had to block the Commander's sudden attack. Law gritted his teeth, barely able to push back against the immense force the Marine showed through his blade.

Glancing around, he saw a nearby barrel on the deck. "Tact!" The barrel went flying towards the Commander, who had to jump away to avoid being hit.

"Have you ever marveled at the idea of death?" The commander asked, coming towards him once again.

"No, I haven't." Law spit, taking a breath in preparation for any attack.

Another sigh escaped the Marine's lips. "It's as if nature gave humans a way to be forgiven, to start over. A way to erase our mistakes."

Law ignored the man, slicing the air in his room. His opponent jumped up to avoid the cutting force. Behind him, the railing of the ship was split in half. A large piece floated in the air above their heads.

"So, Trafalgar Law, allow me to erase the mistake that is your existence." The commander leapt forward, faster than a normal human could possibly do, straight at Law. His eyes widened, realizing he wouldn't be able to dodge in time.

"Shambles!" He switched himself with the railing behind the commander a second before the man's attack would have killed him. Instead, the wood of the railing was smashed into pieces. Bits of debris floated around them.

Law once again slashed, catching the Marine's left arm. His attack left his arm split at the elbow, and he stopped to examine it a moment.

"Urgh…" A sudden, sharp pain through his head forced Law to his knees. At the same time, his Room disappeared from his exhaustion. He had overused his ability, and now he was defenseless.

"A shame. Life is a beautiful thing." The one-armed Commander said, standing above the weakened captain. Law breathed heavily, unable to move from the pain in his muscles. Most of his vision was black at this point, with only splotches of the man above him visible.

"Trafalgar Law, I bid you farewell." The Commander raised his blade, and The Heart Pirate Captain closed his eyes.


	52. A Deviation of Destiny

"Heat! What's going on?" Kid yelled, narrowing his eyes at the sight of the ships now engaged in combat.

His crew mate peered through a scope, slowly scanning the deck of both ships. "The Heart Pirates are attacking the Marines, Chief. Looks like they're winning too."

"Dammit...that's both good and bad." Good, because he couldn't afford for Summer to be injured. Bad, because he didn't want to have to deal with the crew's creepy captain. If at all possible, he wanted to avoid Trafalgar Law. He spelled bad news.

"Should we close in and ambush them?" Wire asked with no expression, as usual. Kid shook his head.

"We'll keep our distance for now. No point getting into useless battles." Kid moved to go back down below deck, but a shout from Heat stopped him.

"What the hell is that?"

Turning back around, the Kid Pirates watched as a massive, gold flame-like aura erupted from the Marine vessel.

* * *

The sight of seeing Law there, on his knees at the mercy of the Marine Commander was too much for Summer. Law, who had been her symbol of strength, was now powerless to stop his own death. Time seemed to slow. Sounds faded away. Everything went cold.

' _He can't die...'_  She thought. ' _He can't possibly die...'_

She watched as Law stared up at the Marine before slowly closing his eyes. That look of utter defeat, the notion that Law would give up, that is what scared her the most.

Then, so terrifyingly slow, the Marine lifted his sword high above his head. In just a moment, before her very eyes, Law would be dead.

And she was powerless to stop it.

' _Do you wish to save him from this fate?'_  A part of her asked. She frowned, witnessing as the point of the Commander's blade began its downward arc.

' _Yes, of course. He has to live. He can't die...'_

There was a sharp pain in her head, so sudden and painful that her initial reaction was to curl up in a ball. Instead, she squeezed her eyes shut and held her head in both hands. The pain was too much and her vision swam. Right before she blacked out she faintly heard two words from the back of her mind, so quiet she thought it had been her imagination.

' _Very well...'_

* * *

' _This is the end...'_ Law thought, closing his eyes in defeat. ' _Cora-san...I failed you.'_

He was angry, very angry. But that was his own fault. Initiating combat when he knew he wasn't in any shape to do so. But there was no way to turn it back now.

He awaited the inevitable sword through his head and the sudden blackness...and he waited. But it didn't come.

A sudden burst of light and a loud clash sounded right in front of him. The sound made him flinch, expecting it to be that of the sword piercing his body. But he felt nothing, so he forced his eyes open. They widened, taking in the strange sight before him.

There, locking swords with the Marine Commander with obvious ease, was a woman. Her back was to him but her purple hair, tied back on her head, was the first thing he noticed. The next was the long brown flowing cloak that covered her shoulders and cascaded down her back. She seemed to be a foot taller than the Marine, probably half of the height of Jean Bart. A shining gold aura surrounded her very person, blinding himself and many of those on the deck.

All combat seemed to stop as everyone turned their attention to the mysterious woman that protected the pirate captain. Even the Marine Commander seemed to be surprised, his eyebrows rising higher on his head.

" **You shall not harm this man."**  Her clear voice resonated across the deck, seeming to vibrate in the air. It sounded as if it belonged to many people at once but only came from her mouth.

Law panted heavily, shocked and speechless at the turn of events. Who was she? Why was she protecting him? Glancing around, he saw the shocked and terrified faces of his crew. However, Summer was nowhere to be seen.

' _Where is she?'_

"Ahh...the legend herself. And the very picture of beauty." The Commander said, stepping back from Law and the woman. "So, you gave up your vengeance to become a guardian of this crew, eh?"

" **Do not speak of things you do not understand, mortal."** She lowered her sword, turning it blade down driving the point deep into the wood of the deck with one mighty thrust. The Marine crew gasped in terror and awe, too frightened to speak or move. " **Go, and take your men with you. Quickly, before I change my mind."**

The captain paused, as if weighing his chances, but turned away and headed below deck. His footsteps slowly receded until they couldn't be heard. Still, no one moved for fear of angering the woman before them.

She turned her head towards the others, regarding them with disinterest. " **Men of service, follow your Commander."**

They didn't need to be told twice. They dropped their weapons in a clattering of steel and scrambled to get below deck as quickly as they could. Once the last man had disappeared below, the purple-haired woman now turned towards Law and he finally saw her face.

Her eyes were strange; the right one golden and the left one white. The pale colored eye had obviously been injured, as a scar ran through the top and bottom of it. Small tattoos marked just below her eyes and off to the side of her face. Her skin was darker, and she wore a white-jeweled crown across her forehead.

She inspected Law, keeping silent as her different colored eyes swept over his exhausted body. Loud footsteps approached the woman from behind, and Law watched as Bepo came running towards her.

"Captain!" He cried, aiming a karate punch at the mysterious female warrior. Barely turning around, she raised her hand just as the polar bear neared her. Placing her outstretched hand upon his head gently, he instantly relaxed and dropped his hostile stance. Law watched in morbid fascination as his first mate was placated with a simple touch.

" **You are the beast she has grown so fond of."**  Lowering her hand, crouched down to Bepo's level. " **She thinks very highly of you."**  Bepo just stared in confusion and awe.

Turning back to the vulnerable captain, she once again regarded him coolly. " **Only by her request did I assist you. Be humbled by your luck and my mercy."**

"I don't...understand." He was still struggling to breathe, both from the fight and his previous exhaustion. It was obvious that this woman was one of extreme power, and great authority. While he took in her appearance, he noticed a necklace around her neck. The only reason it stood out was because of the lock that sat where a pendant would be. He once again locked eyes with her.

" **Many seek her for their own gain. Protect her, and aid her in her quest for vengeance. My existence must be kept hidden, for I must complete my own task."**

"Who is her?" Law asked, but she did not answer him.

"Who are you?" Bepo asked, to which she closed her eyes. Taking her sword in hand once more, she yanked it out of the wood and sheathed it across her back.

" **Heed my warning."**  With another flash, she had disappeared. While the light blinded the crew, something hit the deck where she had stood with a thud. Law looked back at the spot.

There lay an unconscious Summer, sprawled out upon the wooden deck.

These turn of events were most shocking, and the pirate captain found he had lost all energy for anything. After that, Law blacked out completely.


	53. Now What?

Kid was silent, still reeling from the sight of the massive warrior woman. What exactly was he getting himself into? Bringing the scope back up to his eyes, he watched the pirate crew gather their injured back to their submarine. A smirk lit up his face when that creepy Surgeon bastard was one of them, limply being carried by the giant bear thing in the orange jumpsuit.

"Serves you right." He muttered to himself, delighted that the other Supernova turned out not to be invincible like he always seemed to make himself out to be. His arrogance had always gotten on his nerves.

"Captain, what now?" Wire asked, and after a moment Kid put down the scope.

"We keep following them, but at a large distance so they don't detect us. The next island should be close by, so we'll catch them when they land." They nodded obediently, slowly filing back inside. Kid remained at the railing, gazing out at the yellow submarine as it submerged once again into the endless ocean.

* * *

The injured were brought inside the infirmary and, thankfully, there were very few. For being right after a battle, there was very little conversation. This wasn't surprising, considering what everyone had just witnessed not twenty minutes ago…

Bepo gently placed Law onto the infirmary bed, next to the still form of Summer. The bear was concerned for his captain and friend, knowing that it was likely they wouldn't wake up for awhile. Law's extreme exhaustion coupled with the physically draining battle left his body's energy completely used up. It would take at least several days before he could even move his limbs.

Summer, on the other hand...well, he didn't know what exactly was wrong with her. There were no outward indications of injury; nothing was bleeding, her head was fine, she'd been energized before the battle even began...It was unexplainable, really.

"Umm...Bepo?" Shachi asked, glancing nervously at his unconscious friends. Over and over he fiddled with his hands. "Do you think…" He struggled to finish his sentence.

"Think what?"

The engineer swallowed thickly. "Do you think it's safe to...you know…" Shachi gestured between Law and Summer, obviously expecting the first mate to understand what was being implied.

"What are you talking about?" The bear asked, and he sighed heavily.

"Are we sure it's safe to have Summer-chan near the crew?" The question itself felt like treason, a betrayal to his nakama, his companion. He loved Summer, he really did, but after seeing the events of that day unfold he wasn't sure if being in her presence was even safe anymore.

All he was given was a blank look from Bepo, and his frustration grew.

"I mean, after today, would you trust her to be next to Captain?" The bear pondered this a moment, putting a paw on his chin in thought. He could see where his friend was coming from, but…

"Summer is our nakama, so we should trust her." And that was that. There was no hesitation or doubt in his answer, and Shachi shook his head.

"Don't defend her just because she pets you." There was a pause, then a moment later the bear lowered his head in depression.

"I'm sorry."

"Defend your opinions!" He yelled, sweat dropping at the bear's reaction. This only made the depression worse, and he soon gave up trying.

At the same time, the bear was right. Nakama wasn't just a word. It was a promise that you would be loyal to them and trust them with your life. Shachi had proudly given Summer the title of nakama and she had accepted it with determination to honor its meaning to the best of her ability.

So, now when the going gets tough, he just dismisses everything she's done for him until now simply because there's something about her they didn't know? He shook his head. He could really be a horrible friend sometimes.

Much as he tried to shake it off, the doubt still lingered.

* * *

"I hope you have something good to report to me, Viper." The voice through the den den mushi made the pirate captain laugh. His back was to the window, making his shadow appear on the wall of his quarters.

"Better than good! We know where she is. We're on their tail right now, in fact." The man sighed.

"If you still think she'll go willingly, then you're denser than I thought." A comment like that normally would've set the captain off. But not today. Today he was in a wonderful mood, not including the fact that he was very, very drunk. That was just an added bonus.

"I know how she thinks. In fact, I wager we'll have her begging us to take her with!" This produced another cackle from the pirate, sending spit flying through the air.

"Remember, she must be unharmed. Don't underestimate her." The snail phone went silent.

"Ahahahahahaha!" For some reason, Viper couldn't stop laughing. He didn't even know what he was laughing for at this point, he just couldn't stop it.

The door opened, revealing his first mate. He looked concerned. "Captain, are you alright?"

"I think I'll let you off the hook for coming into my quarters just this once! Besides, I'm not in a killing mood at the moment! Ahahahahaha!"

The first mate slowly closed the door, terrified that he had dodged death so closely.

* * *

"Moriah-sama, aren't we going to go after the Red Hunter?" Hildon asked. The Shichibukai lounged lazily on his throne, looking down upon the graveyards that surrounded his castle. As always, a gloomy mist floated aimlessly between the stone markers. Just how he liked it. Holding a glass of red wine, he threw back his head and drained what was left of it.

"Oh, no. No, we won't do that." He tossed the cup backwards behind him, and a moment later it smashed into pieces on the floor. A zombie was there immediately to clean up the mess without him having to raise his voice.

"Why not? Don't you want the powerful soul within her?" To this, Moriah gave a wicked smile.

"Of course, but we won't have to lift a finger. You see, I am fairly confident of one thing." He stated, standing and moving to the window. Clasping his arms behind his back, he looked over his kingdom. Zombies milled around, heading off to whatever jobs they needed to complete. Turning around to face his bat henchman, he chuckled darkly.

"The Red Hunter will find her way to us herself."


	54. We Go In Tonight

"Are you sure you should be up and around so soon, Captain?" Penguin asked, watching as Law struggled to stay standing for too long. Gripping onto the side of the cot for support, he half limped half hobbled over to where the sink was.

"I'm fine." The cold water that he splashed in his face helped to get the sleep out of his eyes and wake him up fully. Drying off with a hand towel, he turned to face his subordinate. "You may go back to your duties now."

Penguin didn't miss how labored his captain's breathing was simply from walking several steps. He was concerned for his friend's well being, but he also knew how stubborn Law could be when it came to matters of his health. So with a hesitant nod he departed from the infirmary and back to the engine room where Shachi was waiting.

A loud sigh escaped Law's lips, and with a backward glance he took in Summer's unconscious form. Pushing off of the sink, he struggled to move towards the stool at her bedside. It seemed like an eternity before he was able to sit down in it and rest.

Summer lay breathing evenly on the cot, a slight frown on her face. Law watched her, wondering once again what it was that he had seen the day before.

The large woman that appeared out of nowhere, Summer no where to be found until after she had disappeared...what did it all mean?

He had to research it more, possibly get Summer's own account of what had happened after she woke up. But would he lie to him? Or could he trust her to tell him the truth? He wasn't too sure anymore. Surely, though, if it was something that endangered his crew she would have said something…

"Nnn…" She muttered, shifting position on the bed.

' _What haven't you told me?'_  He thought to himself. It came to him then, the conversation with Jinbe from so long ago that he had almost forgotten it…

" _Much of her past is unknown, but I've heard a few rumors. Something about that girl intrigues the science community to the point of issuing a bounty on her head."_

_"So her bounty wasn't for the destruction of several islands?" The fishman shook his head._

_"Another government cover-up. They didn't want smaller research labs knowing about her usefulness, lest they try to use it to their advantage. Having that girl with you may be more trouble than it's worth."_

The scientific community...Could this be the interest they had in her, this mysterious warrior? She had mentioned keeping her existence a secret. Was that what she meant?

There were too many questions with not enough answers and it was all giving Law a large headache. Shaking his head, he lifted himself out of the chair and over to the Reid's bed.

The mechanic had yet to wake up from his coma yet. That injury to the head was very severe so it came as no surprise to Law that even now, a month later, he still hadn't awoken.

"We're here waiting." He said lowly. It hurt to see one of his nakama in such a condition, but there was nothing within his power to help Reid, and that was what killed him most. Law had all the medical knowledge in the world but it didn't help him in the least when it came to this.

* * *

Liam lay in his bedroom, staring up at the ceiling with disinterest. Small dust particles floated through the air, catching the light that came through the porthole to his left. His eyes lazily followed the small mites, pausing only to blink.

A few small knocks sounded on his door and he cleared his throat quietly. "Come in." He called.

His captain walked in, noticeably struggling, and closed the door behind him.

"How are you feeling?" He asked, and Liam shrugged.

"Just like yesterday. My back is still stiff and sore but otherwise ok." He shifted uncomfortably on his pillow at the mention of his back. He still wasn't comfortable to talk about it, considering how much damage it had withstood that night in the mansion.

"You've been taking the painkillers, correct?"

"Yeah." He paused, debating whether to ask what was on his mind. Law jotted all this down on a clipboard, nodding for Liam to continue. "Has Reid woken up yet?"

"No, unfortunately. But he is still in stable condition." Liam looked crestfallen, but Law wasn't about to let him wallow in his depression so he continued with the questions.

"Any new symptoms?"

"No, just a headache every once in awhile. But they go away pretty quick."

Law took another moment to finish writing this report before nodding once more in approval and standing up. "You're healing quite well. I'd say you should be up in a week or so."

"Thanks, Captain." He watched as Law opened the door once more. He thought of something just then. "Hey, Captain?"

"Yes?" He paused mid-step, thinking that he had forgotten to report something, but Liam cleared his throat uncomfortably before glancing up again.

"Umm...how is Summer? I heard she was injured." He spoke quietly, almost too quiet for him to hear.

"She's recovering." Is all he said.

"Oh."

Without another word Law left the room, closing the door softly behind him. Liam watched the door long after he had left, lost in his thoughts. Moving on instinct, he reached over to his side table and opened the top drawer. Moving some papers, he lifted up the small item inside.

Twirling the bird pendant in his hand, he ran his thumb over the purple jewels that marked the eyes. He hadn't seen those eyes in a while, not since that day in the infirmary. His heart ached over the finality of it all, knowing there was no way back from the situation they had put themselves in.

Closing his fist over the necklace, he leaned back his head and exhaled slowly. Everything was a giant mess, and he didn't know how to get out of it.

* * *

"We go in tonight." Kid said, leaning against the railing and looking out to sea. The waves lapped against the side of his ship, spraying a fine mist into his face. It felt good in the heat of the sun.

Wire stood behind him, pondering what he had said. "Are we going to kill them?" Kid sighed, taking a sip from the sake cup in his hand.

"Much as I want to, we're only here for the girl. We go in, capture her, and get out. That's all." Heat was perched on a barrel to the right, sipping from his own sake.

"Whatever you say, Chief." A silence followed, marked only by the sound of the ocean and the birds flying overhead.

"What should we plan to get with the money after all this is over?" Kid asked openly, finishing off the last of his sake. He let out a particularly loud belch afterwards.

"Maybe a giant cannon for the ship?" Heat suggested, eyeing the spot he thought it could go.

"Hmm...maybe." Kid tapped his chin with one finger, thinking over it himself.

"We could get a much bigger ship, twice the size of this one." Wire suggested without expression.

"Or endless nights spent with women." Kid smirked. The possibilities were endless, the thought of their reward at the end of all this the one thing in his mind.

"All that sounds well and good, but you know what'll be the first thing we get with the money?" He asked, and the crew gave him a questioning glance. Raising his cup to the sky he grinned wider.

"More sake!" A cheer erupted from the pirates.


	55. Stolen

"Penguin!" Shachi fervently whispered. "Come one! No one's around!"

"Are you sure, man?" Penguin stumbled along in his boxers and a nightshirt. Rubbing the back of his head slowly, he yawned. "I don't want Casper to be mad at us in the morning."

"He's not gonna find out! Now come on!" They silently made their way into the kitchen, glancing around as if Casper would show up at any moment and swat them with one of his wooden spoons.

"Now, where's the salt?" Shachi rubbed his hands together eagerly, ignoring Penguin's tired groan. Both men were thankful the cabinets didn't squeak when opened.

"Pranking Casper is a stupid idea man." He whispered at his friend's back. His toe hit the corner of the counter. "Dammit!" He cursed as quietly as he possibly could.

"Shhh! If you keep making noise we'll be caught." Shachi rummaged around the ingredients, searching for the large bag of salt used for curing meat. "Found it!"

Holding a large bag above his head, he carefully placed it on the counter, going also to find the sugar bag in the pantry. He placed both bags carefully on the counter, glancing back and forth between them. "Alright! Help me dump the salt into the sugar!"

With a tired moan, Penguin slumped up to his friend. "We are  _so_ dead in the morning."

* * *

' _Do I give it to her?'_  Liam thought, idly twirling the bird necklace in his hand. It's eyes glinted off the small lamp he kept on his bedside table. ' _If I do, she'll know. She'll put it together.'_

With a sigh he placed his head back down on the pillow and closed his eyes. Everything was so complicated all of a sudden. And why? Why did it have to be him? Why was it him that Summer's eyes seemed to ensnare with a single glance?

"Damn it all…" He muttered.

* * *

Law swayed but continued to pace the floor. His thoughts wouldn't slow down, wouldn't let him sleep. Images of that woman kept flooding his consciousness, taunting him with her heterochromic eyes. He had researched all he could but couldn't figure out anything on this mysterious warrior.

One glance up confirmed that Summer still hadn't woken up, sleeping peacefully on the cot. He went back to his pacing.

What hadn't he thought of? What was missing? He had searched for anything related to a purple-haired warrior ravaging towns and island in the past ten years, no luck.

"Hmm…" He rubbed his temple in concentration. He mentally reset all the information in his head. Starting from the beginning, he thought back to everything he knew about Summer.

She didn't like hospitals. He had already checked any incidents pertaining to hospitals and medical facilities. There was nothing in any newspaper.

She was affiliated to Viper. His name had appeared several times in the papers several years ago, before the Supernova hype, but there's was nothing more than the standard slander and call to arms every issue seemed to be present.

She was 23, but didn't know her parents.

' _Date of birth...'_  He thought. Why hadn't he thought of that first? With one more glance to make sure Summer's condition hadn't changed he left the infirmary.

* * *

Bepo gazed over the navigational system again, checking for anything out of the ordinary. Nothing showed up on the radar, and he couldn't see anything out of the observation window in front. Jean Bart sat next to him, going over charts and maps.

Bepo and Jean Bart had become closer through their duties in the navigation room, a big improvement from when the ex-captain had first joined the crew. At first, Bepo had regarded him cautiously. He never trusted the man's calculations so the first mate always double checked projections and currents.

Now, he thought, I can trust him. He is nakama now. I would trust him with my life.

' _If only he actually talked to me...'_  He thought, watching the silent navigator do his work. ' _It's so boring without Captain around.'_

* * *

Closing the door behind him, Law searched for the lightswitch on the wall. WIth a flick, the overhead lights clicked on and bathed the rows and rows of shelves in a dull yellow light. He walked towards the back of the room, where the older publications were. His footsteps kicked up dust that had settled, and he coughed out the particles.

' _We need to clean in here.'_

Taking a left, he found the shelf marked 1990-1995. The shelf was filled with boxes of newspapers, separated into individual years. Taking up the 1991 box, he hefted the container back to the front of the room, dumping the box onto a table. Taking a seat, he resigned himself to the task before him.

Law's fingers were quickly smudged with ink and the smell of old paper. Rifling through the old headlines was rather interesting, he had to admit.

" **MARINES STOP RECRUITMENT SCHEME." "SHICHIBUKAI BETRAYS THE GOVERNMENT, SCHEDULED EXECUTION." "TRIAL FOR NOTORIOUS PIRATE JOLLY RINGER UNDERWAY."**

"Here we go…" Law muttered, scanning over one newspaper that caught his eye. It was dated the 22 of December, 1991.

" **MYSTERIOUS FIRE ANNIHILATES CITY, TOWNSPEOPLE BLAME DEMON."**

The headline wasn't the only strange thing about the paper, the picture on the front was just as odd. It depicted a burnt down city, completely destroyed beyond repair. But what caught his eye was the area around the buildings. There were trees surrounding the entire village, some even directly next to the buildings, but none of the wildlife or ground around the wreckage was touched. A normal fire would've burned everything within its vicinity. This one, obviously, did not.

' _ **The citizens of Terra Nova were shocked...'**_

"Terra Nova?" Why did that sound familiar? He thought back to his conversation with Summer, the day she had told him as much of the truth as she so dared.

" _Where were you born?"_

" _Terra Nova Island. It's somewhere on the Grand Line."_

"What a coincidence…" He mused, going back to the first line of the article.

' _ **The citizens of Terra Nova were shocked to find their town in flames early morning on the 19th. Nothing was left standing, and many families had to pack up and find new settlement in the aftermath.**_

' _ **Several medical workers claim that it was the work of a demon.**_ " **Never in my life have I seen something like this before," Doctor Hartman claims, "The demon will surely still be after our blood."** _ **Many accounts of a reported demon have come from credible sources: nurses, doctors, merchants, and soldiers have all stepped forward in defense of this 'demon' theory.**_

' _ **Many housewives, however, point to reckless children and beggars as the source.**_   _ **A local investigation has started in the search for the cause of the fire.'**_

Law put the article down, silent while he absorbed this information. This had to be related to this woman, it just had to be. There were too many coincidences. The newspaper only left him with more questions, however, and now he was set on finding the answers.

Pururururu...pururururu...gatcha.

"Report." Law answered, hearing a frantic Bepo on the other end.

"Captain, Summer is missing."

* * *

"Heat, you and Killer will go in and retrieve her. The rest will be waiting in the rowboat here. Make it quick and don't show yourselves. And cover your scent so that bear doesn't sense you."

The two nodded and jumped onto the deck of the Heart Pirates' submarine. The cool air of the night sent a chill up their spines, but nonetheless they slipped into the door with ease.

None of their crew was in the halls, presumably asleep in their beds. Heat gestured down the hall, where several doors branched off to other parts of the submarine.

Kid had said that Summer was injured, judging by the way they were carrying her limp body into the sub after the battle with the Marines. Based on that knowledge, she must be in their medical section. But where was it?

They silently agreed on the left door, sneaking over and gently pushing it open. They were in luck, no one was in here either. It looked like that door went to more quarters for the crew, so they closed it again and checked the right door.

Another hallway, this time with a door on the side and another branch-off at the end. This way looked more promising so they snuck along the edge of the hall until they came to the side door.

Looking in, it was obvious this was the kitchen and mess deck. Noise came from the back of the room and the two mates paused.

"Penguin, I need a bowl to put the sugar in." They heard faintly.

"There's one down there but can't we just go to bed now?"

Deciding that they weren't much of an issue to them, they continued down the hall. At the end, it split and they looked both ways.

On the left was several doors, maybe more quarters or storage closets. On the right stood a set of double doors inlaid with a small window. That had to be it. Gesturing to the right, they snuck their way over.

Killer peeked in the window, checking to make sure Trafalgar Law wasn't inside. This was the most critical of moments because as soon as they entered this room, they were entering his domain.

Giving each other a confident nod, they pushed the doors open quietly while keeping a lookout behind them.

Inside, Killer straightened up and walked over to the bed that Summer was on. A quick check for her pulse confirmed she was alive, just unconscious. Sheathing his blades, he picked her up and carried her over his shoulder. The loudest she uttered was a small groan.

"Alright, let's get-"

"Put her down and step away."

The two turned around at the voice, taking in the sight of a sandy-haired man pointing two short swords at them. He looked very weak, breathing heavily just from holding up his weapons. Killer, still holding Summer over his shoulder, ignored the man.

"I thought you were watching the hall?" He asked Heat, who shrugged unconcernedly.

"I won't tell you again. Put her down and step back."

Heat and Killer glanced at each other, wondering what the heck they should do. The fact that they were found out was troublesome. They had to fix this somehow, either by incapacitating him into silence or killing him.

Killing him would take too long and be too noisy. So the only option was to knock him out quickly and quietly so he wouldn't cry out.

Handing Summer over to Heat, Killer stepped forward towards the man and unsheathed his blades.

Springing forward, the two clashed, but Killer brought the hilt of his weapon down onto the man's head, knocking him out instantly without a sound. He caught the man before he hit the ground too hard. Gently lowering him to the floor, he straightened up and sheathed his weapons.

"Let's go." He said, glancing outside the doors into the hall. No one was around so they quickly exited the area.

Finding their way back the way they had come proved to be harder than they had thought it would be. Luckily, they didn't get lost and within minutes they had found the door to the outside once more.

The night air was a cold blast compared to the stifling heat inside the sub. Down below the row boat was barely visible.

"Did anyone see you?" Kid called quietly.

"No one." Heat replied, disregarding the man they had knocked out earlier. He lowered Summer down the ladder to the men below, the two mates following afterwards.

"Let's head out."


	56. Eustass-Ya

"Ugh…Ow." Summer's head pounded against her skull, a repeated throbbing that progressively got worse as she woke up. She tried to bring her hands up to her head but found that they wouldn't move. Slowly opening her eyes, she looked around her.

Darkness surrounded her except for the single light that shined above her head. When she tried looking up into it, it blinded her and set her headache off again.

' _Bad idea.'_  She thought.

' _I'm not on the sub.'_

The thought brought her fully awake, alert to everything around her. The scent in the air was different than that of the metal submarine she was so used to. This place smelled salty and...metallic. The second one she knew too well. Something dripped on her head from the ceiling; presumably salt water that had leaked on the ship, but in the darkness it was impossible to tell. She just hoped it wasn't blood.

The room swayed back and forth, and not just from her dazed state. The light on the ceiling swung with the gentle motion of a ship. So she was on a ship, but not the submarine. The Marines, perhaps? The last thing she remembered was fighting the Marines and seeing Law battle the commander…

Law! Was he alright? Was he still alive? Where was he? Hell, where was  _she_  exactly? Listening intently did nothing, the only thing audible was the slapping of the waves against the hull. A tiny part of her thought she heard voices but it could've been her imagination.

The frustration of not knowing anything was beginning to tax on her, and she sighed.

"Hello?" She called, torn between whether she wanted an answer or not. Who knew what the Marines would do to her after this? She'd been in enough trouble before, but now that she had affiliated herself with the Heart Pirates…

"I'm awake now!" She yelled, waiting in a silence afterwards. Still, there was no answer. Another sigh and she gave up trying to get anyone's attention. If they wanted to talk to her, they would obviously do it in their own time.

Her eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness, and now she could just make out the shapes of things around her. To her right there looked to be a bucket on the floor, directly in front of her looked to be the shape of a door, and to her left was what looked to be a chair.

With nothing to do but wait, Summer began to count out of boredom.

* * *

"Why weren't they picked up on the radar?" Law demanded, eyeing the navigational system with distaste. Straightening up once more, he faced his two navigators in anger. "Nothing is malfunctioning so why weren't we alerted to their presence?"

Bepo hung his head and muttered an apology, while Jean Bart only crossed his arms. "Nothing showed up on the system, Captain."

"Then explain to me how this would be possible?" Law breathed deeply, restraining his anger.

"The radar detects objects that reflect back at it, meaning individual bodies and flesh aren't detected. A small rowboat or dinghy could probably escape it's sweep as well since they are small and down low in the waves."

"Is that the only possible way?" The ex-captain shrugged.

"They could have swam up to the submarine, but that's highly unlikely."

"Dammit…" He muttered, pacing the floor. "Was Liam-ya the only one injured?"

Bepo nodded and snapped out of his depression, knowing that moping about wasn't going to help. "I found him on the floor in the infirmary. He had a wound on his head, but it wasn't bleeding too much."

"Bepo, go check on his condition." The bear nodded and hurried out the door. Turning to the stoic navigator, Law sighed once more. "Go over everything that happened in the last two hours. Don't miss even the smallest detail."

* * *

' _892...893...894...'_

Still, no one came. Were they even still on the ship?

_'895...896...897...'_

Her headache was slowly going away but now her patience was beginning to be tested. Obviously, Marines or not, whoever had kidnapped her had no respect for their captives. How rude.

_'898...899...900...'_

* * *

"None of you heard anything?" Law questioned his tired but ashamed crew. They shook their heads, but Shachi and Penguin kept avoiding their gazes. He narrowed his eyes.

"Shachi-ya, Penguin-ya. What aren't you telling me?" They looked almost on the brink of tears.

"We were in the kitchen last night...setting up a prank for Casper…" Penguin muttered, shuffling his feet and keeping his eyes on the floor. "Whoever took Summer would've had to go right past the kitchen...but we didn't see anything."

"We're sorry, Captain. If we'd known we would've went after them."

"There's nothing to be done now." He admitted, more angry at himself than any of his subordinates. He had left the room for an hour at most and in that time Summer had been stolen from him, right under his nose. And he had no clue as to who had done it.

Deciding he would check up on Liam himself, he left the crew to themselves and set off down the hall.

* * *

"He should wake up soon." Law inspected Liam's head, gently tilting it this way and that. "He may be our only hope as to finding Summer-ya."

Bepo looked worried. "We're going to find her, right Captain?" He wrung his paws, looking into Law's eyes in concern.

He shook his head. If it were anyone else asking, he would have smirked confidently and dashed any doubt immediately. The Captain of the Heart Pirates, the Surgeon of Death, the Dark Doctor would have never thought that anything would go wrong. Law, however, was unsure if they even had a chance. And Bepo was different; they'd been together since the beginning, slowly forming this pirate crew from the bottom to get this far.

He would always be honest with his first mate. "I hope so."

* * *

' _7,465...7,466...7,467...7,468...''_

The door to the room swung open, flooding the room in sudden light and blinding Summer all in one. Heavy footsteps stopped just in front of her, but she was unable to look up from the change in lighting.

"So, you're finally awake." A snarky male voice proclaimed. Though her life was in the hands of these men, her sarcastic nature couldn't be tamed so easily.

"You're about 2 hours late to be saying that…"

Summer's head was snapped right from the force of the slap. "Urg!" The stinging pain faded slowly, leaving her with ringing ears and stars dancing across her vision.

"That's enough of that attitude." The same voice said. Her vision was beginning to return and she looked up at her captors. The light from the door made the people in front of her appear as silhouettes, but there was no mistaking that spiky haircut. Next to him stood a man with a vaguely distinguishable striped mask.

"Eustass Kid…" She muttered in slight amusement. The sound of his name from her lips made him smirk in arrogance.

"So you know my name, huh? I should feel honored." Now she smirked, almost appreciating his sarcasm.

"Don't. Everyone knows who you are." Grabbing the chair nearby, he placed it in front of her and sat. Leaning closer, he laughed lowly. Killer remained silent closer to the door.

"And I know who you are, Red Hunter." Her eyes rolled.

"Wow. I should feel honored." She said, mimicking his previous statement.

"Are you comfortable?" He mocked, eyeing the restraints around her wrists and ankles.

' _This is getting nowhere.'_  This was the one thing about notorious pirates, she thought, they always have to put on a show. With an exaggerated sigh, she rolled her neck to pop a joint back in place.

"Can we just skip the niceties and get on with the whole why-am-I-here crap? I've been sitting here forever."

She thought he would slap her again, but he only laughed in response. Now that her eyes had adjusted completely she could see Killer standing slightly behind his captain, watching their exchange with apparent interest...or disinterest. It was hard to tell with the mask covering his face.

"I at least appreciate the fact that you aren't stupid. Not like the last guy." She wasn't sure what he meant by that exactly but she had a feeling she didn't want to know. So she didn't ask. He seemed a little disappointed by this but continued anyway.

"You have a very high price on your head. Turning you in would make me very rich." She arched an eyebrow.

"I'm pretty sure my 195,000,000 beli bounty wouldn't make that much of a difference to your bank account." Before she had even finished talking, Kid had started laughing. She frowned, confused by his humor.

"Something wrong?"

"You can't be serious, right? Do you live under a rock?" He must have decided her confusion was genuine because he shook his head in wonder. "The Marines raised your bounty a month ago." He fished a newspaper out of his jacket and held it up to her. There, on the bounties page, was her picture.

**THE RED HUNTER SUMMER. Considered armed and extremely dangerous. Do not approach. If sighted, immediately contact Marine forces: 245,000,000 beli.**

"Huh." Her lack of response seemed to irritate him once again and he put the paper away. She hadn't, however, known that the Marines had raised her bounty. And a month ago? She supposed that she hadn't been paying attention to the papers recently. "That's still not much of a bounty if you ask me. Besides, what makes you think turning me in would guarantee you getting a bounty at all? The Marines would probably just arrest you too."

"Who said anything about giving you to the Marines?" He replied cockily. She frowned once again, frustrated by his constant confusing statements.

"Just tell me what the hell you're talking about. Please." She added after he glared at her giving him orders.

"Word's going around that some underworld big-shot has put a huge price on you."

"And who would that be?" He scoffed at her question.

"Hell if I know."

"Under what terms?" She asked in curiosity, rolling her eyes at his apparent ignorance of the whole situation.

"Bring you in alive, to some island he's waiting on." Kid's gaze looked far-away, as if he were telling himself more than her. "The best part is, he's offering way more than your bounty with the Marines."

"So, how much is my beautiful self going for nowadays?" She asked sarcastically.

"550,000,000 beli."

She was silent. Who the hell had that kind of money to just spend on a bounty? And who the hell was  _that_  desperate to have her captured? Her first assumption was Viper, but she knew even he didn't have that kind of money. Maybe it was just a ruse from him to make it easier to locate her?

"Well, I hope you enjoy your stay with us, Red Hunter, because it'll be a long two weeks down here while we travel to that island." He stood up from the chair, turning towards the door. He stopped and looked over his shoulder. "Oh, and don't expect any celebrity treatment just because you're wanted alive. They never mentioned what condition you were in when you got there."

Without another word from him or his first mate, the pirate captain left the room and shut the door behind him. Immediately, Summer was blinded from the sudden change to darkness and she blinked back reflex tears.

' _550,000,000 beli...underworld...who the hell wants me that bad? And...why?'_

* * *

"Captain, Liam's waking up." Bepo alerted Law, who had been gradually falling asleep in his chair. He jerked awake, standing up with aching muscles and walked over to the infirmary cot his medic lay on.

"Argh...dammit…" Liam muttered, shifting uncomfortably on the bed. Law lay a hand on his chest, noticing how he tensed at the touch.

"Try not to move too much, that wound on your head isn't small." At his Captain's voice he visibly calmed, sinking back onto the sheet.

"I tried to stop them, Captain, but there were two of them and-" His scratchy voice was interrupted by Law.

"You did all you could. There's no use blaming yourself." He enforced, looking directly at him to get the point across.

Liam sighed but reluctantly nodded his head.

"Do you know who did this?" Law asked. Liam faced him again anger setting into his features.

"The Kid Pirates." Law narrowed his eyes and the medic almost thought that he had angered him, before realizing that it was who it was that changed his mood so rapidly. Liam was surprised by the abrupt turn of his captain as he headed purposefully towards the door. However no one saw the thunder of hatred on his face.

"Eustass-ya…" He muttered darkly.


	57. I Can't Believe I Fell For You

*One Week Later*

"Captain? Are you in there?" Bepo gently tapped on the door to Law's quarters, unsurprised that there was no answer from within. He balanced a tray of dinner in one hand easily. "Captain, you need to eat something or you won't-"

The door suddenly swung open, causing Bepo to take a step back in surprise. There stood Law; no hat, the circles under his eyes darker than usual, and drooping eyes. Obviously he hadn't looked in a mirror in several days...or showered. He stood there staring at Bepo silently.

Bepo wasn't sure what to say. "Captain?" He asked meekly. He'd never seen his friend in such a state before.

"Tell Casper-ya that I will not eat until I find where Eustass-ya is heading." He moved to close the door once more but stopped. "Don't bother me until I've finished my research."

"But-"

"That's an order."

Bepo flinched at the force of the door slamming, almost dropping the tray in his hand. Steadying it once more, he stared at the door in unease. The silence was deafening, stirring in him a sadness his regular bouts of depression could never produce. Never had his friend been in such a state before, nor had he ever brushed him off in such a manner. He'd always been considerate and kind, but this was something entirely different.

Bepo sighed, turning to go back to the kitchen. Law hadn't come out from his room in a week, not since Summer was kidnapped by their rival pirate crew. He even refused to eat his meals, and Bepo wasn't sure how much longer he could keep this up.

"I hope you know what you're doing, Captain…" He murmured.

* * *

Summer swayed in her chair, determined to stay awake despite her exhaustion.

' _You've endured worse.'_  She told herself.  _A week without food is nothing compared to what I've experienced before.'_

Her stomach grumbled loudly at the thought of food and she groaned in pain. The organ had been protesting violently since the second day of her stay. Nothing she tried worked against her hunger.

In front of her the door opened, blinding her once again that day. Looking away, it wasn't until the person was forcing her chin up to meet his eyes did she realize who it was.

"Enjoying yourself?" Kid plied, smirking wolfishly into her pale face. Her outward appearance had taken a steep decline since her capture. Her skin felt dry and itchy, pale from lack of sunlight, and her muscles were tight and sore from inactivity.

"Immensely." She ground out, fighting the urge to bite his thumb that rested on her lip. She jerked her head away from his grasp, huffing in annoyance when he grabbed it again.

"Just be grateful we haven't tortured you. I mean, the guy before you had it way worse. You should've seen him after we were done asking questions." He laughed humorlessly, ignoring the fact that Summer once again intentionally neglected to ask what he was talking about.

"How much longer?" She asked, skipping the useless banter. Finally, he let go and paced in front of her chair.

"About another week. The coordinates weren't very clear, so give or take a few days. Then we'll be rich and you'll be hauled away to wherever your buyer wants to take you."

"Sounds fabulous." Her monotone response made him turn.

"Do you mind if I ask a personal question?" He asked in fake apprehension.

"Yes, actually, I do."

"Why is it that you joined that Surgeon bastard's crew anyway?" He continued, ignoring her previous statement. She wasn't surprised, slowly getting used to the way Kid did things around here. From observation and almost daily interaction, he didn't care what his actions did to others, much less how they would feel about it.

"I really think that's none of your damn business." She took a deep breath, terrified that simply carrying on a conversation was enough to wear her out at this point. How much had she declined in just a week?

Kid placed his hands behind his back, walking to and fro in front of her. "Oh, but I think it is. You see, your 'captain,'" He said, signalling quotation marks for the word captain, "He is my enemy. Therefore, I need information on his plans and movements. And you are my ticket to that information." He pointed at her.

"If you think I'm gonna sell out my crew simply for my own safety, then you're a bigger dumbass than I thought." His face darkened.

"Need I remind you that your life is in my hands." He said lowly. She smirked.

"No, my life is in my buyer's hands, and that means that as long as the offer stands, you can't kill me." He bared his teeth in frustration and sent a hand flying across her face. The blow snapped her head to the right. Summer momentarily lost her breath from the force of it.

His hand squeezed her jaw once again, this time with a deadly grip. She whimpered from how strong his fingers around her chin was, a little intimidated by the pure hatred that filled his eyes. When he spoke, it was the most serious she had heard him talk. Almost too low to hear, he leaned in until she could feel his hot breath from every word. "I might not be able to make you dead, but I can bring you pretty fucking close."

He spun on his heel, opening the door and slamming it shut. Face still stinging from the blow, Summer's eyes reflexively shed a few tears.

' _I want to go back home...'_

* * *

' _Where are you?'_ Law thought for the thousandth time, scanning through page after page of newspaper and bounty reports. His desk and bed were covered in haphazard stacks of paper, leaving no room for him to sleep or work efficiently but at this point he could care less.

' _Where did you take her?'_

Crumpling up the front page of that day's paper, he tossed it somewhere behind him. Going back to the map on the wall he gazed at what he had so far.

A chart graphing every island that the Kid Pirates had landed on in the Grand Line stared back at him, mocking his disheveled appearance and scattered mental state.

' _What do you want with her?'_

The idea for the whole thing was to try to calculate the most probable island that they would go to next, but it was getting nowhere. There had been no news reports over the last few days as to their whereabouts. So they were keeping low to avoid detection.

' _What have you done to her?'_

Running a hand through his greasy and wild hair, he groaned aloud. His body was achy all over from sitting in his chair for several days without standing. He caught a whiff of his own scent and grimaced. He really needed a shower but he was too distracted with work to step away from it.

' _Come back...'_

Why had all this happened? What was going on? He tugged at his hair in frustration, gritting his teeth in pain when his headache roared back to life for the hundredth time that day. He really needed sleep but even if he tried all that he got was fitful dreams. Those dreams were all the same: Summer, hurt and confused being dragged away by Kid who laughed mockingly at Law's inability to save her.

' _Why does it hurt so much?'_

The worst pain, even worse than the physical exhaustion, was the emotional one. His heart ached, that was the only way to describe it. No, it burned. The fire that was his regret and anger raged within his chest and he could find no solution to fix it. The fact that her absence affected him to this extent was frightening, he was unhappy to admit. So many terrifying scenarios raced through his tortured mind and none of them were of any help at that moment.

' _What have you done to me?'_

He'd known that his feelings for Summer had grown stronger and stronger as time progressed. He'd known that whatever this was-love, lust, or something else entirely-was completely foreign ground for him and that he had no idea what to expect out of it. Never did he think losing her like this would hurt this much.

' _For once in your life...'_

He let out a breath, releasing his grip on his head because the pain from his nails digging into his skin finally began to register in his consciousness. How low had he come, the fearsome Supernova of North Blue, to become this emotionally ruined over a woman.

' _Admit it...'_

He'd always told himself he wasn't capable of love, always been convinced that the seas were his true love, the thrill of evading those that pursued him, the calculated plans that fell into place so perfectly...Those were what he longed for.

And then she had stepped into his life and turned everything on its side. Her wit and humor had kept him interested, enough to where he would naturally seek her company. She was smart, sharing her knowledge of the world and graciously respecting that she didn't know it all...in her own way.

She treated his crew with love and respect, something that impressed on him immensely. She could laugh and joke with the men with ease, not afraid to give or take a challenge when the time arose.

God, he was getting so damned s _entimental._  What would Corazon have said about all of this? He shook his head. He couldn't just  _will_  these feelings to go away, he'd already tried and failed.

"Damn it all…" He muttered, unable to stop himself from a small grin that he couldn't quite explain.

' _You love her...'_

* * *

Kid took a long swig from the bottle of sake, gazing out into the ocean. The sun was just beginning to set and the waves were calm. Up ahead, a storm was brewing, slowly approaching them and gaining in momentum. But they wouldn't need to worry about that until at least tomorrow morning.

Footsteps approached him from behind, but he didn't turn around. Soon enough, Killer came up alongside his captain, joining his thoughtful gaze out to sea.

"Any information?" He asked to break the silence. Kid belched, taking another sip of sake.

"Nah, she's too smart for that. She won't give in, no matter how much you torture her."

"Mmm…" Killer hummed, not sounding disappointed in any way.

The two resumed their watch, leaving each other to their own thoughts. Slowly, the bottle of sake was consumed, until Kid produced another from his coat and began on that. It took less than ten minutes for his captain to get drunk, and even less time for him to start thinking aloud.

"Have you taken a good look at that girl lately?" He slurred, hand on his chin thoughtfully. Killer glanced at his drunk companion and shook his head.

"She's a looker, that one. A nice ass, too." He took another swig of the bottle, though Killer doubted it was necessary at this point. "Wonder if she'd be good in the sack. I gotta admit, that Surgeon bastard is a lucky son-of-a-bitch. I mean, who wouldn't want a front row view of that rack every day?"

Killer sighed but remained silent. Sometimes his captain said such ridiculous things.

* * *

Pururururu...purururu...gatcha.

"This is Commander Mona aboard the vessel Phoenix, who is speaking?"

"Mona...such a beautiful name...I believe it means 'Noble One' in Irish-" She sighed, rolling her eyes in annoyance just from the sound of his voice.

"Commander Leon, to what do I owe the pleasure?" She faked a pleasantly surprised tone, grounding her teeth all the while.

"Yes, I have a report to give to you. Information on the Heart Pirates, is that right?" Her eyes widened and she reflexively leaned forward in her chair.

"You have information?"

"We had a run-in with the Heart Pirates just a few days ago, about sixty kilometers off the coast of Dikti Island. How unfortunate that you weren't able to view the sunset over the mountains in the distance, it was-"

"What direction were they heading?" She asked impatiently, grabbing a piece of paper and a pen. She wrote down  _Dikti Island, sixty miles off coast_  and waited for more.

"Ah, I believe they turned towards the southwest. The most beautiful cultural island is in that direction, with a lovely-"

"Thank you, Commander. You've been a tremendous help." She promptly hung up the phone, sighing in relief that it hadn't been too painful. She could only take so much of his definitions of beauty.


	58. Get It Together

_*Four Days Later*_

The kitchen. That was the second thing that she thought of when she was missing the sub. Its full cabinets and gritty floors that needed cleaning twice a week, the food storage where she'd been found that day at Marineford, Casper's minimal conversations and small words of praise on rare occasions…

Bepo was next, with his warm furry body and his sensitive nature. He really needed to be more confident in himself. He inspired her to be happy and true to those she cared for, courtesy of the devotion he showed his Captain.

The fourth thing was Shachi and Penguin. They could definitely be dorks, in fact they were almost certainly dorks, but they were also her nakama and they never failed to bring a smile to her face on the worst of days.

Fifth was the rest of the crew; Scott, Blake, Parker, Reid, Liam, and everyone else she hadn't named. They were her family. She saw that now that she'd been taken away from them, not knowing as to when...or if...she'd ever see them again.

That little yellow submarine that smelled like sweat and metal and sometimes burnt food and disinfectant...That was her home and she missed her home.

There was one thing that she wasn't sure how to feel about. Specifically, one person in particular. He was cocky, arrogant, played by his own rules, sadistic to a point, and as moody as herself. He teased and tricked and mocked, always wondering what he could gain from his actions.

But at times he was kind, and generous to those he saw worthy of it. He cared deeply for his crew, always worrying about ways to protect his men even if he didn't show it. His numerous sleepless nights and coffee binges were evidence of that much.

Even with his flaws, he was attractive, considerate when he wanted to be, sometimes charming…

The first thing she thought of was that sadistic bastard of a Captain, Law.

And, God help her, she missed him most.

* * *

"Wakey, wakey!" Kid stepped through the door, a loaf of bread and a tin cup in hand. Summer only glanced up at his arrival, keeping her head straight and staring at the wall. She wasn't in the mood for talking.

He waltzed over and set the two items on her legs, reaching into his pocket for something. Pulling a knife from his belt, he reached for her wrists. Summer tensed up before realizing if he killed her then this whole deal would be called off. So she calmed down enough for him to cut the restraints on the arms of the chair.

"Eat up, you'll be meeting your buyer tomorrow. Can't have you being too skinny." Without another word he turned and left the room, shutting the door and locking it behind him.

She sat unmoving, staring at the loaf of bread in her lap and the small amount of water in the tin cup. She was starving, but even if he needed the deal to go down nicely, who was to say he wouldn't poison her beforehand? It could be a slow-working poison that killed her after he had traded her and left with his money. Why wouldn't he take this opportunity to kill an opponent?

At the same time she was skin and bone at this point. She was weak and unable to do anything but eat the bread, poisoned or not, and hope she didn't die.

Slowly she closed her hand over the loaf and brought it to her mouth. It was a little hard, but anything at all was better than nothing.

While she ate, she wondered idly who her buyer was. Kid hadn't ever given her a name. She was starting to doubt that he even knew who it was himself. She only hoped it wasn't someone worse than Kid.

* * *

"You're sure she's on board?" Viper asked, viewing the vessel in question through the scope. He eyed the jolly roger, mentally wondering why the pirates of this generation had such strange designs. It wasn't even intimidating…And what did a Supernova want with her anyway?

"Aye, Captain." Replied the first mate. "We've had several reports that she's there. We saw them-"

"Excellent. Inform all men to be at their stations immediately. I want all valuables in the vault and put Summer in her old quarters." He purred, licking his lips in anticipation.

"Aye, Captain. Man the sails! Load the cannons!" The first mate ran across the deck, shouting orders and dodging man who hurried to get to their positions. Viper remained on the front deck, watching the ocean in glee.

He'd waited so long. Idly sailing and raiding the Grand Line in wait for her to escape her prison, just like he knew she would, so he could retrieve her once again. He'd missed those constant paychecks…

"Summer, love, I've finally found you."

* * *

Casper finished serving the soup to the crew, passing bowls around to the tables one at a time. Everything took longer than usual, due to the absence of his only assistant in the kitchen. He himself wasn't sure how the soup had turned out as he had lost his appetite halfway through making it.

Nobody spoke. Most kept their eyes down, distractedly stirring their spoons in their dinner. The clicking of the bowls and silverware began getting on the old cook's nerves. Normally such a sound was welcome, a testament to the enjoyment of the men, but tonight it almost mocked him, taunted him. Within the clinks of metal he could almost hear the word  _'gone, gone, gone.'_  Gone was the laughter, gone was the companionship, gone was the confidence that had accompanied them this far. All taken away by one missing crewmate.

He should yell, scream, shout, say something to the depressed men. It was him who, when the Captain wasn't around, thought of just the right words to say to get the morale going once more, rallying the men into confidence. But in this situation, when the odds were stacked against them, when physical action wouldn't help anything, when they had no information to go on...

He couldn't think of anything to say.

* * *

' _Why did you let him take me?'_   _Law opened his eyes, watching as Summer was dragged away by her hair. 'Why didn't you stop him?' Kid gripped her blonde locks in a gruff hand, grinning back at the Heart Captain smugly._

' _Summer!' He tried to move, but his legs held fast. Looking down, his eyes widened when he saw his crew holding his legs back. They narrowed their eyes in suspicion._

' _You failed us. You didn't save her. You betrayed your crew.'_

' _No! I have to get her!' Still, their arms wouldn't release his leg and Summer was screaming as Kid dragged her away towards his ship in the distance. He reached an arm towards her, as if that would bring her back to him, but she continued screaming even as she disappeared into the distance…_

Law jerked awake, gasping for air and wiping away the sweat that clung to his face. The room briefly spun before settling back into place. He finally remembered where he was, sitting in his desk chair and facing the board of the Kid Pirates' course.

They'd had no luck in finding the rival crew, no news whatsoever in the newspaper, nothing to indicate where they'd been or where they were going. It was driving him insane from frustration.

' _You need to get a grip.'_  He thought suddenly, mentally berating himself for letting himself fall so low. ' _You're not helping her by becoming hysterical. Get yourself together.'_

It took immense willpower but he rose from his chair and away from his research. Turning, he walked towards the door. Opening it up, he was thankful that there was nobody in the hall. It wouldn't do to have his men see him like this. As quietly as he could, he slipped off towards the shower.


	59. Summer, Love

Kid returned a little later with more bread and water. The loaf from before had left Summer's stomach in an even bigger fit than it had been in days. It grumbled loudly every so often, a shooting pain through her insides accompanying it. Kid didn't seem to notice her discomfort, but then again why should he? She had an itch on her nose again, but because her restraints had been put back on she couldn't reach it.

"We should arrive at the island first thing in the morning." Kid said. Summer nodded obediently, frowning when the redhead didn't leave immediately like always. Hands stuck in his pockets, he wandered around the darkened room aimlessly. She eyed him as he paced back and forth in front of her, never really looking in the eyes.

"What do you see in him?" He asked suddenly, turning towards her. She narrowed her eyes.

"In who?" Her voice sounded gravely from disuse and little water over the past week.

"That Surgeon bastard." He responded, rolling his eyes as if the answer were obvious.

"I already told you I'm not going-" He shook his head.

"I know what you told me before. You'll never sell out your crew, nakama, loyalty, yada yada yada. That's not what I meant." He dragged the chair over and sat himself backwards in it. He clasped his hands together and stared past her, thinking over something that Summer could only guess at.

"Why do you follow him? What does he have that makes you believe in him?"

Summer gaped at him, shocked by his submission. Kid had been nothing but gruff and tough her entire time captured. This sign of weakness, of insecurity, was startling. He was a Supernova, a cruel pirate captain who left waves of destruction in his wake. And he was asking her...a personal question?

"Umm…" She started. "He has ambition, a plan." Then she shrugged, watching as Kid shook his head.

"That it? He's ambitious?" She glanced around, as if the air around her had more answers. Nodding, she shrugged again. Kid sighed and stood back up.

"Whatever. I'll never understa-"

 _Boom._  A loud crash came from somewhere below deck and the whole ship shook from the impact. Kid tried to keep balance while Summer's chair swayed back and forth, threatening to topple over.

A few seconds later another explosion came from above deck and the two could hear the rest of the crew screaming in anger.

"What the hell?" Kid shouted, running back through the door to see what was happening. Summer glanced nervously at the wooden walls of the hull around her. Those explosions sounded suspiciously like cannon fire, and all it would take was one stray cannon to kill her.

* * *

Kid ran up to the top deck, body tense from anger and adrenaline. Up top, the crew scrambled to their positions at the cannons. A look to his left confirmed an enemy pirate ship firing at them, slowly advancing with its black jolly roger. The design was nothing he'd ever seen: a coiled snake around a sword.

"Where the hell did they come from?" He shouted, beginning to form his metal arm. Stray cannons from the deck and some of the metal from the railings. The wood around him creaked from the attacks and he felt the ship starting to slow down from damage.

"They came from the west." Wire answered, loading a cannon all the while.

"Well, no shit dumbass!" Kid yelled, using his mechanical arm to block an incoming cannonball. Something was on fire because the air was filled with black smoke.

"Repel!" Taking the cannonball he had blocked, Kid launched it back at the ship at high speed. It hit part of the bow, not doing any major damage but hitting a few men on the deck. The ship was much closer now, and Kid could see the other pirates lining the deck with weapons drawn and raised above their heads.

A man paced behind the line of men, presumably the captain. When he had deemed the distance between them small enough he raised his voice and bellowed.

"I believe you have something that belongs to me, Supernova! We don't have to kill you and your crew if you hand her over!" Kid narrowed his eyes.

"You wanna come here and say that to my face?" He retorted, baring his teeth in anger.

"He's trying to provoke you." Killer warned quietly, but the Supernova wasn't playing around. Who was this guy to tell him he has to give up his ticket to being rich?

"I'm giving you a chance to save yourself, boy!" The greasy-looking captain chuckled darkly, showing wickedly yellowed teeth. Kid was willing to bet his breath didn't smell like roses either. "All I want is the girl and then we'll be on our merry way!"

"Go to hell!"

"Find her!" The man shouted and suddenly the ships were close enough for them to board Kid's. Screams of rage and war sounded and swords clashed. The enemy's crew greatly outnumbered his own but his men were capable and strong. He wasn't worried.

Kid used his mechanical arm to swipe men from the railings and into the water below, all the while using his pistol to take out those close to him. "Get off my ship!" He yelled, punching a man so hard in the face his knuckles broke through to the bone underneath. The man collapsed onto the deck screaming in pain.

' _Where is that captain bastard?'_  He thought, stalking the deck as he searched for his opponent.

* * *

Screams of pain, pistol shots, swords clanging together, and the smell of smoke was all that Summer experienced. Altogether, she wasn't too concerned with whatever was happening above her. Kid's crew was strong, they were led by a Supernova for God's sake, and they could handle whatever naive pirate crew decided to attack them.

The ship rocked again, probably from Kid's weird powers. Law had told her all about the other Supernovas over dinner one night, since she was decidedly uninformed. He had described his unique devil fruit ability and noted the fact that it depended heavily on the environment around him. The intimidating metal arm he could conjure sure did some damage.

Despite her confidence in Kid's abilities, she still tensed up whenever running feet went right above her head. They always seemed to be heading for her, but that was impossible. No one knew she was even here.

* * *

"Attention." Law raised his voice above the mutters of the crew. Instantly everyone's eyes rested on their captain. Once they had quieted down, he spoke. "There are a few issues that must be addressed."

Having taken a shower and somehow gotten a handful of hours of sleep, Law looked much improved from the almost hysterical state he had been in the past week. Cleanly shaven and dark circles to their normal color, the crew had instantly noticed the change in image and had once again felt hope.

"Have you found where the Kid Pirates are?" Someone asked at the back of the group. Law sighed, having been expecting such a question.

"No, but I haven't given up looking. Which brings me to the issue at hand. In all the time we've sailed, of all the times we've run into trouble, in all the times we've lost something and felt like everything was the end of the world, how many times have we given up?"

Silence. Their eyes shifted, as if recalling those experiences. Law knew that they all knew the answer was never.

"Not once have we let the worst overcome our resolve. Not once have we let those who opposed us keep us to the ground. And now that something has happened, we give up? We despair and work ourselves into a depression?" His eyes narrowed when no one looked up at him. "Summer-ya is in need of our help. It's up to us to save her and I need every single one of you in your best condition, physically and mentally. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Captain!" The men shouted, gradually shaking off their shame and sorrow. He was right, they weren't helping Summer by wallowing in depression. They stood up straighter with a confidence that had been missing the past week. Law smirked in pride. He was one step closer to finding his missing nakama.

* * *

The fighting had stopped. There were no shouts or screams, no weapons ringing with each hit, no cannonfire and no talking. Just an eerie silence that put her on edge. She strained against the leather around her limbs. The smell of smoke still permeated the air but there was no way of knowing what was burning or if it put her in any danger. Breathing deeply, she closed her eyes in an effort to calm down.

' _Just calm down. You're overreacting. Everything's fine. You're not in danger.'_

' _ **Danger.'**_  A part of her screamed. She opened her eyes again because her mental pep talk obviously wasn't working.

Suddenly slow steps began their way across the upper deck, right above her head. Her eyes shot upwards, as if she could envision Kid meandering around at the fallen bodies of those he'd slain. Those footsteps continued over to her left, before somewhere a door opened and the steps echoed. Like they were going down a set of stairs.

' _ **Danger!'**_  Again her brain screamed at her that something was wrong, that something wasn't quite right. The steps continued their slow approach, and this time she knew that they were coming for her. She'd memorized the path Kid had always taken to gloat or bring her water.

' _Three steps to the left and then a turn directly towards me.'_  The steps turned, angling straight for the door in front of her.  _'Eight steps straight, and then...'_

The knob turned and the old wooden door slowly eased open. Her vision was once again compromised by the sudden light from the opening. A large figure of a man stood facing her. He was taller than Kid, and heavier.

The figure crossed his arms and laughed and in that instant Summer's blood froze in place. That laugh...A dark chuckle that always seemed to echo and reverberate wherever he went. She couldn't breath, the air seemed to disappear and she thought vaguely that she must have resembled a fish out of water. Her body was numb, all feeling leaving her. His stench hit her next and her nose wrinkled from the unwashed odor that assaulted her. Everything was so familiar, as if she had only been there yesterday, as if she had never left…

In that dark little room on Kid's ship, Summer sat face to face with the one man she hated and feared the most. There, laughing at her shock, stood Viper.

"Summer, love, it's so nice to see you again."


	60. The End...

"Step carefully, love. Wouldn't want you to trip and break an ankle!" Viper laughed into the night, gripping her elbow like a vise. She stumbled along at his speed, catching herself each time a stray leg or arm happened to be where she was walking. The number of dead men was appalling. The dark sky made it hard to see who had fallen, but she was sure that the Kid Pirates only had four members.

The deck was also slick with dark red blood, staining the wood an ugly black.

Once, she tripped enough to fall to her knees. Viper neglected to catch her and only watched as she couldn't keep her footing. She bent her head low out of instinct and came face to face with Heat. His eyes were closed, and she feared the worst. Then, a tiny flutter of movement came from his chest. It was almost too subtle to notice, and at first she thought she had imagined it.

"Heat." She breathed out as quietly as possible. She watched as his eyes twitched the barest of hints, indicating that he was still alive. She sighed in relief before feeling her elbow being jerked back upwards to Viper.

"No use trying to wake the dead, love. They're gone. Now let's get aboard before the men become impatient."

Having no choice but to follow her worst nightmare come to life, she looked up to the skies desperately.

' _Law...where are you?'_

* * *

"Why would Kid want Summer-ya?" Law steepled his fingers in front of him, eyes turned to the ceiling. It was a question that had been bothering him for awhile now. Was it possible that he knew something was strange about her? Maybe he did it just to spite him? Though why would he go through all that trouble just to annoy him? It didn't make sense…

"What if he doesn't want her but somebody else does?" Bepo wondered aloud, surrounded by the rest of the crew in the mess deck. The bear was laying on his back on the floor, Law leaning against him like he normally did.

The idea had merit. "It's unlikely Kid-ya would work for someone. He is too aggressive." But as he continued thinking about the idea the more it started to make sense. "But if there was something to gain…"

"What are you thinking, Captain?" The bear asked curiously. Law narrowed his eyes in thought. At this point he had the attention of everyone.

"I want all news article for the past 6 months brought to me now. Focus on the classified sections and personal advertisement." Men scrambled to get the papers, rejuvenated by Law's calculating look that meant he had an idea or a plan.

Soon boxes upon boxes of papers were stacked in the mess deck. Grabbing one from the top section, he flipped it open to the advertisement page.

"The only reason I can see Kid-ya having an interest in Summer-ya would be to sell her or trade her. Every single advert must be read. Summer-ya's rescue may well depend on it." At those words, men immediately snatched up papers and began reading.

"What exactly are we looking for, Captain?" Shachi asked, scanning classifieds and headlines as quickly as he could without missing information. Law glanced up from the section he was reading. Newspaper was spread all around the room, and he had to move some away from his face to see the engineer.

"Anything that's strangely vague or uses odd code words. Also one that comes up repeatedly with different messages each time."

"What about this one?" Parker held up a paper and Law approached him. "Here." He pointed to a section almost at the bottom corner of the paper.

" _Seeking to purchase impounded yacht. Contact if interested."_

"Who would be looking for an impounded yacht? What does that even mean?" He shook his head in confusion. Law looked up from the page.

"How many of you have gotten that same one?" Several men raised their papers in confirmation. "Look for any that reference this yacht and put them in order by date."

The task took longer than he would have liked, but by the end of all the sorting a good stack of papers rested on the floor at his feet. Going through, he read each one.

" _Seeking to purchase impounded yacht. Contact if interested."_

_"I'd like to know who I'm buying from. I appreciate business integrity."_

" _On a 500,000,000 budget. Still interested?"_

" _I'm unable to travel, busy schedule."_

" _Are you willing to bring it to me without destroying it?"_

" _I'm sorry if it inconveniences you, but please send the yacht to the coordinates listed below."_

" _Hope to see you soon. I'll be waiting."_

"Bepo, put in these coordinates and see where it points us."

"Aye, Captain!" The bear sat up and flew towards the navigation room, intent on finding his missing crewmate.

"This has gotta be it, right? I mean, this doesn't sound like a normal sale does it?" Parker scratched his head.

"I have a feeling…" Was all Law said. A few minutes later, Bepo came back.

"Those coordinates lead to an island called Neritum."

"How long would it take us to get there?" The bear grinned.

"Maybe a week if we pushed our hardest." Law stood, kicking away stray newspapers and brushing himself off. The crew looked to him for direction.

"Head there immediately."

* * *

"Arg…" Kid stirred, squeezing his eyes tightly shut against the raging pain that ran through his body. He panicked for a split second thinking that he was blind, but he realized he hadn't opened them yet. Slowly, he rose to a sitting position and surveyed the scene around him.

Dozens of bodies lay across the deck, the blood slowly staining the wood. It was almost too dark to see, but somehow he was able to identify his three fallen members.

"Hey, get up." He called with a hoarse voice. Struggling to his feet, he leaned against an unbroken railing for support. There were a few groans, then three of the bodies began stirring.

"Why didn't he kill us?" Wire grumbled, massaging his injured head. Heat coughed, a horrible sound that racked through his body. Killer slowly went in search of his fallen blades, crawling through the bodies and pools of blood. A sickening squelch accompanied each sweep of his hand through the dark.

"Any idea who that was?" Kid asked his men, who all gave a negative.

"Argh!" He slammed his fist down on the wood in frustration. Who the hell did that guy think he was, coming out of nowhere and decimating his crew then taking his ticket to get rich quick?

"What now, Chief?" Heat croaked, making his way over to Kid. He thought for a long time, staring out to the black ocean. His men waited patiently.

"We go after them." He turned away and made his way to below deck. Stopping he glanced at the bodies that littered the deck. "And clean up this mess."

"I want that money." He muttered to himself as he descended the steps.

* * *

Summer was herded down below deck, back to her cage from so many years ago. Viper's first mate shackled her wrists and ankles together, attached by a long chain that also attached to a cuff around her neck. The device limited her steps to small, hurried ones so she could keep up with the men pushing her forward.

' _No...'_

The steps to the darker section of the deck were old and beginning to crumble. This didn't slow or stop their descent. Opening a door, Viper ushered Summer and the men escorting her through into the room. One gave a forceful shove that sent her reeling inside.

' _Please...'_

Inside was a large cage, running vertically from the floor to the ceiling and three or four feet in each direction. Viper unlocked the door and nodded, to which the men pushed her inside without warning. She stumbled forward with a small cry, landing on her side and back.

' _I can't go back...'_

Before she could recover from the sudden movement, she heard the lock to the door close. Viper retracted the key and smiled a wicked toothy grin. A dark chuckle came from his throat, before rising in volume and hysterics. He turned and walked towards the door. Before it closed behind him, she heard his parting remark.

"Welcome home, love."


End file.
